


As much as I like you

by caitlesshea



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst, Healing, M/M, Prompt Fill, Soulmates, Tattoos, Tumblr, episode coda, forced healing implied, happy endings, mentions of the toolshed, toolshed - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2020-01-16 04:07:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 64
Words: 30,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18513589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caitlesshea/pseuds/caitlesshea
Summary: A collection of Tumblr prompt fills, episode codas, fics, etc...





	1. Prompt - Maria gets angry.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Maria finds out about aliens and gets angry at everyone because her friends didn’t tell her.

“You’re all serious?!” Maria shrieks at the group sitting around her at the Wild Pony. Thank God she closed the bar early. She takes in the forlorn faces of Isobel, Max, and Michael and the slightly pinched faces of Noah, Alex, Liz, and Kyle. All seven of them nod solemnly.

 

“And you didn’t think to tell me? Maria DeLuca keeper of everyone’s dirty secrets!” She screams at them. They all wince. Good.

 

 “We’re sorry.” Alex whispers to her.

 “You’re sorry? Sorry! You just waltz in here and decide to tell me about aliens. And not just that they’re real, but that these three over here are actual aliens. And not only that, but there’s a huge government conspiracy cover up going on and it all starts with Rosa’s death. And you’re sorry?!” She throws her hands on the table and huffs in annoyance.

 

“It’s not like they’ve known for long.” Michael gestures to Liz, Alex, Noah, and Kyle. Maria knows she’s reaching her limit of how angry she can get. But something about the way Michael says that really pisses her off. She’s about to give him a piece of her mind.

 

 “And you!” She points a finger at Michael as she turns her furious eyes on him. He backs away with his hands up.

 

 “Don’t you think this is something you should tell someone before they sleep with you?! How could you?!” She’s enraged now. More than happy to turn her fury onto Michael so she doesn’t have to keep looking at Liz’s heartbroken face.

 

 Alex snorts behind her. “You’re telling me.” She sees Michael smirk and she turns to Alex.

 

 “What are you talking about?” Maria asks him. Some of the wind taken out of her sails. Alex is squirming under the attention everyone’s giving him.

  

Behind her Isobel and Max are laughing and Liz and Kyle have lightness in their eyes. Alex looks up at her and it hits her all at once.

 

 “Holy shit. He’s museum guy?” Alex nods at her.

  

“Museum guy? What the hell does that mean?” Michael asks.

  

Maria laughs because she can’t help herself.

   

“Alex! You kissed an alien in the alien museum!” She wheezes. She’s doubled over holding her stomach as she laughs harder than she has in a long time.

  

She can hear them all laughing with her, her anger long forgotten. She notices Michael grab Alex by the waist as he places a kiss in his hair.

  

“We’re going to talk about the alien museum.” Michael murmurs to Alex who just looks up at Michael and smiles as he kisses him.

 

 “Anymore secrets I should know?” Maria asks the group as everyone calms down from their laughter.

  

“Well there was this one time…” Kyle trails off as everyone laughs again. Maria smiles. These people are her family, aliens and all.


	2. Prompt - Alex calls his mom.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Alex calling his mom to talk about Michael after they get back together.

“Hey Mom.” Alex smiles when she picks up the phone. They haven’t talked in a while.

“Hi sweetheart.” His mother says gently into the phone. “How are you?”

“Good.” Alex replies then smiles to himself, as he hears Michael putting things away in their bedroom. “Actually…I have some news.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. I uh…well…” Alex knows he can tell his mother about Michael, but he isn’t entirely sure how to quickly word their ten plus years of history.

“Alex. Sweetheart. What is it?” His mother asks him gently. He smiles.

“Well…I’ve been seeing someone for a while now…”  _Understatement_. “He’s moving his stuff in as we speak. His name is Michael.”

“That boy from high school?” Alex pauses. He doesn’t remember ever telling his mother about Michael before.

“How did you?”

“Honey…you kept calling out for him in the hospital. I got it out of your brothers. I’m sorry I never asked you about him.”

Alex is shocked. Nobody told him he was calling out for Michael when he was in the hospital. Although, this doesn’t surprise him. He’s going to have  _words_  with his brothers.

“It’s okay.” He says quietly. “Yes. It’s the same person.”

“He was staying in the tool shed?”

“He was.” Alex is starting to wonder just how much his brothers told their mother. They had only found out recently everything that had happened back then and how their father abused him.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.” His mother’s voice is gentle.

“It’s okay Mom.” There was a lot of animosity between them for a while, but once the dust had settled regarding the aliens and government conspiracies, his mom had made amends. Alex wasn’t the only one being abused by Jesse Manes.

“It’s not.” She says fiercely. “How about I come visit. I can meet this young man, and cook you two some family dinners. Lord knows you do not know how to cook.”

Alex laughs. Even though he is a  _little_  offended, he knows she’s right. “Michael can cook. You can teach him.”

“Well, thank goodness. Someone will have to know the family recipes to pass down to your children.”

“Mom!” Alex says scandalized and blushes bright red. At the commotion, Michael runs into the living room and raises an eyebrow at him. He shakes his head at Michael.

“What? Sweetheart. Please don’t tell me you’ve been in love with this man for over a decade and haven’t thought about a future with him?” Alex is really blushing now. He isn’t sure how the conversation turned from catching up with his mother to talking about grandchildren.

“I’m going to help him unpack now Mom! I’ll text you with a weekend we’re both free!” He practically shouts into the phone. He can hear her laughter on the other end.

“You aren’t getting out of this conversation Alex Manes. But I will let it go for now. Love you.”

“Love you too.” He hangs up the phone and drops it like he’s been stung. Michael reaches down to pick it up.

“Everything okay?” Michael asks him with a smirk.

“Yep…” Alex pops the “p” and takes his phone back. “My mom is going to come visit.”

At Michael’s raised eyebrow, he continues. “She wants to meet you.”

“Really?” Michael has a look of disbelief on his face.

“Yeah. She wants to teach  _someone_  the family recipes so we can pass them down to our children someday.” Alex smirks.

“She what?!” Michael breathes out.

“Mmm. Something about…being in love with someone for over a decade and starting a family.”

“A family you say?” Michael’s smirking now. “Was this before of after she called you Alex Manes and you didn’t correct her?”

Alex blushes and ducks his head. He walks closer to Michael and pulls him into a kiss.

“How about I don’t tell her we got married and I changed my name until you meet her hmm?”

“I can live with that.” Michael smirks and kisses him again. Yeah, Alex thinks.  _So can he._


	3. Prompt - Coffee Shop AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Malex coffee shop AU

Michael really doesn’t want to miss this deadline, but the Dean has been riding his ass lately and now the final part for his dissertation is due and he feels like he barely started writing it.

“Daddy. Can we go get a fwap’chino?” Michael peers over his laptop to see his son standing on his tiptoes to try and see him.

“Sorry buddy. Not right now.”

“Please Daddy?” His son says with his big brown puppy dog eyes that he did  _not_ learn from Michael. It takes all of two seconds for Michael to cave.

“Okay. I’ll see if your Dad can meet us.”

“Okay!”

Michael chuckles as he closes his laptop and grabs his son so they can head to the coffee shop. He texts Alex once they get there to see if he wants anything.  _One does not go into town for coffee and not order something for their husband_.

He orders his son a frappuccino with a side of cookies and himself a large coffee with espresso in it, and they sit at a table towards the back to eat.

He’s just about to take a bite of the cookie when he sees another cookie start to levitate. He grabs the cookie out of the air and turns towards his son. He leans down to whisper.

“We talked about this. No powers outside of our home, remember?”

His son nods and smiles at him. “I’m sorry Daddy.”

“It’s okay buddy.” He leans down to place a kiss in his hair.

“There are my favorite curly haired boys.” Alex says by way of greeting. “Eating dessert before dinner I see.” He smirks at Michael.

Michael smiles sweetly at him.

“Dad!” Their son says as Alex sits down and ruffles his hair.

“Hi.” Alex chuckles and takes one of Michael’s cookies.

“He wanted a drink.” Michael leans his head towards their son.

“Mmhmm.” Alex hums but he smiles.

“Don’t tell Liz we’re here instead of the Crashdown.” Michael smirks at him.

“You crazy? I would never.” Alex smirks and takes a sip of Michael’s coffee.

“We would never tell Auntie Liz that your Daddy likes this coffee better than Papa Arturo’s, now would we?”

“No Dad.” Their son says very seriously, which causes both Michael and Alex to laugh.

“Paper not going well?”

“No. Needed a break. And he apparently got bored enough to ask me to come here so I figured it couldn’t hurt.” Michael snags another cookie and nibbles on it.

“You’ll finish it. And you’ll get your doctorate.” Alex says with conviction.

“Why thank you darlin’.” Michael drawls and is pleased with the blush that creeps up Alex’s neck.

“Michael.” Alex whispers and reaches over to grab Michael’s scarred hand.

“Someone was levitating a cookie earlier.” Michael looks at their son fondly, who is so engrossed in the video on Michael’s phone that he doesn’t even look up.

Alex rolls his eyes. “Honestly…I can’t believe he ended up with your powers. I thought for sure he’d have Isobel’s. But no, he threw his pacifier at me from his high chair a couple of years ago and I nearly had a heart attack.”

Michael laughs at the memory. He can vividly hear Alex’s firm shout of “Michael!” through the cabin like it was yesterday. He remembers coming to a halt in the kitchen just as their son started levitating his food and laughing like it was the best thing ever _. It was_.

“Maybe the next one will have Isobel’s powers.” Michael says nonchalantly. She was their surrogate for their son, maybe she’d be willing to do it again.

“Next one?” Alex chokes. Michael pauses and rubs a hand on the back of his neck. He can feel the blush spreading up his neck and across his face.

“Uhh…” Michael swallows and looks up at Alex. Alex’s eyes go soft and fond, with a smile he only gives Michael, and he looks over at their son and then back to Michael.

“Yeah. Maybe they will.” Alex says softly as he picks their son up and turns to leave. Michael goes to follow them out the door.

“Really?” Michael says, not quite believing what Alex is agreeing to, once they settle their son in Michael’s truck.

“I think I have room in my heart for one more curly haired alien.” Alex kisses him and Michael kisses him back, smiling.

“I want a sister!” Their son says, jolting them from their kiss. Both Alex and Michael laugh. Guess their son was listening to them. Kids.  _Who would’ve thought_?


	4. Prompt - Bonded Soulmates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Michael feels the bond intensifying for the first time, he could feel when Alex is hurt/ in danger

Michael staggers into a cabinet in his Airstream, clutching at his chest. He’s never felt pain like this. It’s like his chest is being torn apart by a fire. He can’t breathe, he can’t see past the blurriness of his eyes. He barely reaches the bottle of nail polish remover on the counter when the pain becomes too much and he falls to his knees. He uncaps the bottle and barely takes a sip when he falls over and passes out with Alex’s name on his lips.

He wakes up to the sound of his phone ringing. As he scrambles to get it out of his pocket the last couple of hours come rushing back. The pain, the heartache, passing out. All he can think about is Alex and if Alex is okay.

“Hello?” He answers the unknown number cautiously.

“Michael Guerin?” The other man says and Michael immediately knows this is an Air Force officer calling about Alex.

“My husband? How…” Michael can’t even get the words out. He knows that Alex isn’t dead, or they’d be here at his door and not calling his phone. He rubs his chest, willing the bond that tethers them together back to life.

“Captain Guerin and his unit were ambushed. He was injured and flown to Germany to have emergency surgery where they had to amputate part of his right leg.”

Michael falls over. There’s blood rushing in his ears making it hard to hear. The officer is still talking but Michael can barely pay attention.

“How…?” Michael shakes his head to clear his thoughts. “Visitors?” Michael knew Alex was normally not allowed visitors when he was in the middle of a deployment. Not that Michael was ever trying to actively enter a war zone.

The officer paused. “You’re his only next of kin, he’s in a military hospital. You’re his only approved visitor. He should be here for some time. He’s in a medically induced coma for now, and should be awake in the next couple of days.”

“Thank you sir. I’ll be there.” Michael hangs up the phone and begins packing. He has half a mind to call Max and Isobel and tell them what happened. They both immediately want to come with him, and make sure both he and Alex are alright. He shrugs them off despite their concerns. This is something he has to do alone.

Getting to Germany seems to take forever. When he touches down, he feels the familiar fluttering in his chest, signaling Alex is awake and alive. He makes it to the hospital in record time and sees some of Alex’s unit in the waiting room. He shakes all of their hands and says his many thanks to those who got Alex out of harm’s way and then he’s standing in front of the door to Alex’s room.

When he sees Alex for this first time he places a hand on his chest, feeling the bond intensify and flow through his body just by being in close proximity. His movement wakes Alex up and Alex’s hand immediately goes to his own heart.

“Michael.” Alex breathes out and reaches for him. In quick strides Michael is on the bed reaching for Alex and kissing him with a passion he didn’t know he had. He gentles the kiss when Alex starts to sag into him.

“I’m sorry.” Alex whispers.

“Darlin’.” Michael pulls back and lifts Alex’s chin so they’re eye to eye. “Why are you sorry?”

“You felt me getting hurt.” Michael leans his forehead on Alex’s and presses a gentle kiss to his lips.

“How did you?” Michael asks, because he’s never felt pain like that. Their bond isn’t something they have to talk about, he’s been able to feel Alex’s presence for as long as he can remember.

“Because I felt yours.” Alex says softly and grabs Michael’s scarred hand. Michael gasps.

“You never said…”

“I know. I didn’t want to make it worse.”

“This wasn’t your fault Alex.” Michael says fiercely and kisses him again. He squeezes Alex’s hand with as much pressure as his left hand will allow.

“That day was the best day of my life. It allowed me to  _feel_  you. To bond with you. I wouldn’t change that. For anything.”

“Michael.” Alex whispers and kisses him again. “Thank you for coming. I needed you.”

“I needed you too, Captain.” Michael kisses him again, their bond flowing between them, light and happy, full of love and promise.


	5. Prompt - Feels like home.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Malex: #44 “You’ve always felt like home.”

Michael finishes putting the Airstream in place in the clearing behind the cabin, and he pulls out his one duffel bag, filled with his clothes and a few personal mementos. He eyes his truck parked out front, and does one final mental check of all his artifacts and drawings from the fallout shelter at the junkyard that are now under his feet in the secret bunker.

  

The front door is unlocked, which means Alex is home, but Michael likes the fact that he has a  _key_  to somewhere. So he locks the door with his powers, and unlocks it with his key.

  

He enters to find Alex sitting on the kitchen counter, with no shirt, in just sweatpants, with the right leg rolled up, and two crutches next to him. He seems to be stirring some sort of sauce. Michael has never seen a more beautiful sight.

  

He walks up to Alex and crowds in between his legs. He leans up to kiss him and Alex smiles at him.

  

“Did you get everything?” Alex asks him as he puts the lid back on the sauce. Michael can see pasta on a plate next to the sauce, not yet cooked.

  

“Yeah. It’s all right here.” Michael holds up the duffle bag. “I’m going to get changed and I’ll come back and help you.” Michael kisses Alex before he walks away. He places his duffle bag in front of the closet, figuring he can unpack after dinner, and pulls on just a pair of sweatpants to match Alex.

  

When he gets back to the kitchen, Alex is placing the pasta in a pot, leaning over the sauce to do it. Alex raises an eyebrow at Michael’s lack of shirt.

  

“You’re not wearing one.” Michael points out as he makes his way in between Alex’s legs again. He loves when Alex sits on the counter and he can look up into his beautiful brown eyes.

  

“I didn’t want to get any sauce on it. It’s on the chair.”

  

“Oh well.” Michael shrugs and kisses him. He wraps his arms around Alex’s waist and Alex wraps his arms around Michael’s shoulders. He can feel Alex’s chuckle.

  

“I’m happy you’re here.” Alex whispers against Michael’s lips.

  

“Me too.”

  

“You make this place feel like a home.” Alex wraps his arms even tighter around Michael and brings Michael flush against the counter.

  

“Darlin’.  **You’ve always felt like home**.” Michael kisses Alex again. “I’ve never had much in the way of material possessions. The Airstream, some artifacts. I’ve certainly never had a nice king sized bed, or a full walk in shower. I’ve never had a key that opens to a place to where you are. But I don’t need any of that, so long as I have you.”

  

Michael looks into Alex’s eyes, the glistening tears a match to his own.

  

“You’ve always felt like home to me too, Michael.” Alex kisses him and Michael thinks this is the best homecoming present ever. Alex, here, in his arms.

 

 Together.


	6. 1x09 Coda

“Mikey!” Liz shouts at him from one of his patio chairs as he makes his way towards the Airstream from his truck.

 

Beside her Alex snickers and Michael has just enough time to glare at him before Liz bursts into a fit of giggles.

 

“Mikey? Really? There’s no other nickname?” Michael slides into the empty chair next to Alex.

 

“Nope!” Liz laughs again.

 

He turns to Alex. “Is there a reason there’s a drunk Liz sitting in front of my trailer?”

 

Alex shrugs. “She came by looking for you and I answered the door. She seemed to take that as an affirmative that I knew everything and she launched into the whole tale about saving Isobel and how she finally kissed Max and how she got drunk with Maria and came here to tell you the antidote worked.”

 

“She kissed Max?”

 

“Yes! It was great. Finally.” Liz smiles to herself.

 

Both Michael and Alex smile at her as she continues mumbling to herself.

 

“Cause wouldn’t it be great? Just little curly haired alien babies. C’mon Alex you can imagine it. I know you can.” Liz smiles again.

 

Michael pauses. Alien babies.  _What the hell is she talking about_?

 

He turns to Alex and startles at the blush rising on Alex’s cheeks.

 

“Alex?”

 

“She’s been prattling on about Max and her since she got here.” Alex shrugs.

 

“Right…and that lead to…alien babies?”

 

“Apparently.”

 

“Huh.” Michael looks at Alex again. Not trying to get ahead of himself too much. It was only yesterday that they laid all of their own truths on the table. He shakes off the thought.  _Baby steps_. He laughs to himself.

 

“What?” Alex asks him.

 

 

“Baby steps.” Michael smiles at Alex, and his smile reaches his eyes as he grabs Alex’s hand, a blush rising on his cheeks.

 

“Baby steps.” Alex squeezes his hand in return.


	7. 1x10 Coda

“You’re not drinking at the Pony?” Alex asks Michael by way of greeting as he walks up to the fire pit outside the Airstream.

 

Michael levels him with a  _look_.

  

“Sorry if I ruined that for you.” Alex whispers as he nods his head at a patio chair. Michael nods back as he takes a sip of his beer.

 

 “You’ve never ruined anything for me.”

  

Even though Michael’s eyes are hard, his voice is soft. It throws Alex for a moment, so he lets the words sit heavy in the air.

  

“I’m sorry for running out of here earlier.” Alex breaks the silence as he grabs his own beer.

  

“I get it. The alien stuff is a lot to deal with.”

 

 “That’s not why…”

  

“Then why?” Michael asks him. He’s not angry, Alex realizes. Just confused.

  

“The console. I guess…I…” Alex sighs. He’s never been good at this part. “I guess I never thought you’d be the one to leave.”

  

“I’m not leaving.” Michael’s eyes lock on his and he sucks in a breath.

  

“Well…yeah I mean, you don’t have all the pieces.” Alex shrugs and has to look away from Michael’s piercing gaze for a moment.

  

“No, even if I did. It’s just a way to…”

  

“Quiet the chaos?” Alex whispers. Michael nods his head.

  

Alex nods back. “You want to know where you come from?”

  

“I do.”

  

“I can understand that.”

  

“Figured if anyone could, it’d be you.” Michael smiles at him.

  

Alex figures it’s now or never. He believes Michael that building the ship quiets his mind, and that when faced with leaving he might actually not, but Alex couldn’t live with himself if he never gave Michael that choice. He reaches down into his backpack and pulls out his piece of the console. He holds it up for Michael to see.

  

“Where did you?”

  

“In my cabin. I didn’t know what it was until you showed me the rest.”

  

“I…”

  

“It’s the missing piece, Michael. The one you’re looking for.” Alex whispers.

  

Michael’s breath catches and Alex feels the piece of glass being lowered to the ground by Michael’s powers. Michael walks over to him and crouches down in front of him and places his hands on his knees.

  

“Yeah…” Michael breathes. He’s closer now, almost eye level to Alex.

 

Alex swallows.

  

“It is…” Michael says and surges forward and kisses him.


	8. 1x10 Coda (2)

Michael pulls up outside of his Airstream and sees Alex sitting by the fire. He doesn’t know why that sets him off, but it does.

“You told Maria about us?!” Michael yells as soon as he’s out of his truck. The events of today finally catching up to him. He stalks up to Alex and puts his hands on his hips. Alex has the decency to look startled.

“Well? I couldn’t tell Isobel about us. No. But you can tell Maria?!” Michael doesn’t know why he’s so upset. He said no more secrets, and he meant it, but this one stung.

“I didn’t…” Alex ducks his head.

“Don’t lie to me!”

“She figured it out.”

“Bullshit! You would’ve had to confirm it. Were you so upset I slept with her, that you just told her about us?!” Michael’s moving closer to Alex, the same pull he always feels when he’s with him.

“That wasn’t what I…”

“You said we were over! More than once. What am I supposed to do! Keep waiting for you?!”

“No!”

“Then what? You had to claim your territory over me?! It’s bad enough I can’t stop loving you. You had to tell her that too?!”

“No! I didn’t do that. I didn’t say anything to her other than confirm you’re the man I’ve been in love with for ten years!”

“What?” The wind is taken out of Michael’s sails at Alex’s love confession.

“I was upset that you want to leave the planet!” Alex yells at him. “That’s why I went to see her. She brought you up and I just didn’t deny it. I can’t anymore.”

“Alex…”

They’re almost chest to chest now, both having moved closer towards each other during their argument. Their chests are heaving and they’re both breathing heavy. The air is charged around them.

They lock eyes. Michael isn’t sure which one of them moves first but suddenly he has his arms full of Alex Manes and he’s kissing the life out of him. Hands are grabbing, teeth are biting, both of them trying to get impossibly closer.

They come up for air, foreheads still touching, breathing in sync.

“Cosmic I think you said?” Alex smirks at him.

“I love you too, Manes.” And then Michael’s dragging Alex towards his trailer, argument long forgotten.

 

 


	9. 1x11 Coda

Michael rests his head against the wall in his bunker while he bounces a tennis ball against the opposite wall with his powers. Partially because it helps quiet the chaos and partially because he needs to know that he can still use his powers after cleaning up all the pollen. He pulls the whiskey bottle up to his mouth and takes a swig with a nail polish remover chaser.  _Man, tonight sucked._ **  
**

He’s about to take another swig when he hears the telltale sign of a car pulling up to his trailer. He waits a beat for the familiar sound of uneven footsteps and then…

“Guerin?” Alex questions from above ground.

“Down here.” Michael says quietly and then looks up at Alex making his way down the ladder.

Alex stares at him for a moment and then he points to the whiskey bottle as he takes a seat next to Michael. Michael hands over the bottle and watches as Alex takes a swig. He’s slightly mesmerized by the way Alex’s lips wrap around the top.

“You okay?” Alex asks him as he gives the bottle back.

Michael nods. “How did you?”

“Max called Jenna. Jenna called Kyle. Kyle called me.”

“Ah. Valenti.” Michael takes a sip of only nail polish remover this time.

“I’m sorry about Noah.”

Michael turns to look at him. He’s only slightly surprised that Alex would immediately understand and would be telling him he’s sorry that someone he considered family turned out to be a murderer.

Michael sighs and leans his head back against the wall. “I like…liked…him. I…I don’t know. He loves Iosbel, or so we thought. He did right by her. He was always there for me, too. It’s just hard. To think about and to reconcile…”

“That someone you think loves you turns out to be a monster?”

Alex gets it. “Yeah.”

“But I’m also…Curious? I feel like I shouldn’t be, but…I don’t know. He’s like us. He knows things. About us. He probably knows where we come from. How we got here. Who we are…I just…want answers.”

“He’s nothing like you.” Alex says fiercely as he grabs Michael’s hand. “He may have some of the answers you’re looking for. Hell, he may have all of them. But he will  _never_  be like you.”

Michael turns to look at Alex, startled by his outburst.

“You are  _good,_  Michael.”

“Alex…”

Michael locks eyes with Alex and his breath catches at the unguarded emotion swirling in Alex’s brown eyes.

“You are good. You are brave. You are caring. You protect the people you love. No matter what. No matter the consequences to you. And you are  _loved_. So much.”

Michael doesn’t realize he’s crying until Alex’s thumb brushes some of the tears away. Michael leans his forehead on Alex’s, needing the closeness and comfort that only Alex can give him.

Michael sighs when he feels Alex’s lips on his before pressing his mouth harder to Alex’s and deepening the kiss. When they break apart Michael pulls back to look at Alex. He quirks an eyebrow.

“You could start saying love you know? As in present tense.”

Alex rolls his eyes and smirks. ”Oh yeah?”

“Just saying” Michael shrugs.

“Saying what?” Alex challenges.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”


	10. 1x12 Coda

"She was beautiful Isobel.” Michael chokes on a sob while he grips Alex’s hand as they sit on Max’s couch.

“Michael. We don’t need to see that place.” Max says angrily.

“It’s not about you!” Michael shouts and Alex moves closer to him, so they’re touching side to side.

“Please Isobel.” Michael knows he’s begging, knows he’s asking a lot of her, especially after he just injected the antidote into Noah. But he needs this.

“Michael. It might not work. We’ve never tried this with a human. And I’ve never tried to show someone another person’s memories.” Isobel says quietly.

“Please.”

“Okay. Alex are you ready?”

Michael sees Alex nod once as he brings Michael’s hand up to kiss it. Michael blinks and then he’s in the familiar landscape of Isobel’s mind. He doesn’t like it when she roots around in his head, but he wants this, and he wants to do this. He notices Alex looking around.

“Woah.” Alex says awed. Isobel preens at Alex’s kid like wonder and Michael laughs.

“Are you ready Michael?” Isobel asks him. He nods once and then he feels the pull on his mind and he can feel Alex’s mind alongside Isobel’s.

“Show me.” Isobel whispers.

Michael doesn’t have to go far to find the memory of his mother. Not only of her in her last moments, but the memories that his mother  _showed_ him.

He can vaguely hear both Alex and Isobel gasp, but Michael’s focus is on his mother’s smile, and the grip of her hand. How it feels to finally  _feel_  his family, the way he’s sure Max and Isobel feel each other.

He’s basking in the love he feels for her, after barely seeing her for five minutes. But she gave him a lifetime of memories, and his  _only_ memories of his time before the pod.

He gasps as he feels Isobel release his mind and then he’s being pulled into Alex’s strong arms.

“Oh Michael. She’s beautiful.” Alex whispers as Michael buries his face in Alex’s neck. Michael can vaguely hear Isobel and Max leave the room so they can have some privacy.

“I wanted you to  _see_  her.” Michael breathes out.

“I did. I did.” Alex says as he runs his fingers through Michael’s curls.

“Thank you.” Michael lifts his head to look Alex in the eye. “For wanting to.”

“I told you. I never look away Guerin.” Alex leans his forehead on Michael’s and kisses Michael softly.

“I never look away.”


	11. 1x12 Coda (2)

Kyle watches as Alex pulls Michael towards the truck. Michael hasn’t said anything since the explosion. Alex was watching him a few steps away, as if to give him space, but now they really need to get going.

  

He doesn’t think Alex will willingly hand the keys over to his military humvee but he does so without question when Kyle holds his hand out. Kyle can feel the tension, and it’s so thick he can almost taste it.

  

“Where do you think Flint went?” Kyle asks Alex once they get on the road. He chances a look back at Michael but he’s just staring out the window into the desert.

  

“To hell hopefully.” Alex supplies in a clipped tone.

  

“Your brother was there?” Michael speaks up.

  

Alex turns to look at Michael and nods.

  

“A real family affair.” Michael quips and then bangs his head against the window.

  

“Guerin…” Alex makes a pained noise. Kyle wonders, not for the first time, what happened when Alex went to find Michael in the room with the other aliens. Kyle still feels sick about it.

  

Alex goes rummaging through his bag and pulls out a bottle of nail polish remover. He turns to hand it to Michael.

  

“Manes, I don’t think…” Kyle trails off as Michael speaks.

  

“Thank you.” Michael says in a voice Kyle has never heard before. He turns to look at Alex and sees his eyes soften.

  

“You’re welcome.” Alex says to Michael just as quietly.

  

Michael downs the entire bottle in one go and Alex passes him another one. Kyle’s pretty sure that Alex helping Michael pass out isn’t the best idea, but who is he to judge?

  

Michael reaches out for Alex’s hand and squeezes.

  

“Alex. It was peaceful.” Michael whispers before he closes his eyes, the acetone finally putting him to sleep.

  

Alex squeezes Michael’s hand and reaches back to brush his hair out of his eyes and take the empty bottle of nail polish remover.

  

Kyle turns to Alex and nearly gasps at the look on his face. It’s such a contrast to the hardened soldier that Kyle is so used to seeing lately. He’s never seen Alex’s face so open and full of love, even if there’s a hint of pain.

  

“What happened?” Kyle finally asks.

  

“She was his mother.” Alex whispers and Kyle nearly loses control of the humvee.

  

“The women he recognized?”

  

“Yeah. He was trying to save her. She was able to speak to him. She told him who she was to him.” Alex answers softly.

  

“Jesus.” Kyle whispers. For all that he complains about Guerin and Max and Isobel he wouldn’t wish this on anybody.

  

“Are you okay?” Kyle asks Alex after it’s clear he’s done talking. Alex nods.

  

“Just…when will my family stop hurting him? Loving me has only ever brought him pain.” Alex chokes out.

 

 Kyle’s confused. He knew that Michael and Alex had some sort of relationship. Alex’s reluctance to talk to Michael and Michael’s comment today about how Kyle had treated Alex back in high school being the biggest indicators. But love?

 

 “Loving you?” Kyle asks before he can stop himself. Alex turns to glare at him. He sees the crack in Alex’s armor, as if Alex let the wall down for Kyle to see.

  

“You love him too.” Kyle says rhetorically. He can see it now. The way Alex keeps turning around to brush his fingers on Michael’s hand. The way he smiles when Michael snores. And really, when he thinks about it, the way he ran deeper into a building that was going to explode to go and grab Michael.

  

“I have since I was seventeen.” Alex whispers.

  

“He’s stubborn. But he definitely loves you too.” Alex whips his head around to stare at Kyle.

  

Kyle shrugs. “Just some things he said when we were walking around the prison.”

  

Alex nods and goes back to staring at Michael. He sees Michael’s hand twitch but then it turns over and grabs Alex’s. Even subconsciously while sleeping, he wants to hold Alex.

  

Yeah, Kyle thinks. It’s love.


	12. Prompt - Rosa.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Kyle and Liz and Rosa talking after Kyle finds out she’s alive.

“Seriously Liz, if you wanted to kidnap me and blindfold me all you had to do was ask.” Kyle said to Liz as she pulled her car to a stop.

 

“Kyle…jeez, we’re at Max’s.” Liz says as she opens his door to lead him into what he assumes is Max’s house.

 

“Well damn if I knew he was into it too, I would’ve come over sooner.” Kyle smirks as Liz swats at his arm.

 

“But seriously, isn’t the blindfold supposed to go in once we’re in the bedroom?” Kyle asks.

 

“Jesus Valenti.” Max’s gruff voice reaches his ears and he smirks.

 

“Well hello to you too Evans.”

 

“I thought you said he went to medical school?” Kyle freezes. He knows that voice. He’s intimately familiar with that voice, ever since it started haunting his dreams. But there was no way. Right? He whips off the blindfold and stares at her in shock.

 

“Rosa?” He breathes out.

 

“Got it in one, hermano.” Rosa quips back at him.

 

“How? You knew? What? I don’t…” Kyle can’t catch his breath.

 

“Kyle calm down, here sit on the couch.” Liz pulls him towards Max’s couch and he sits between her and Rosa. Rosa is looking at him curiously, but he focuses on Liz.

 

“What is going on?” He whispers to her.

 

“Noah had her in a pod this whole time. Max killed him.” Kyle’s breath catches as Liz continues. “They found Rosa afterwards, and he used the energy boost to bring her back to life.”

 

Kyle doesn’t know what to say. He looks from Rosa, to Liz, then back across to Max. He reaches a hand out and squeezes Max’s arm.

 

“Thank you.” Kyle says quietly. It’s about all he can manage right now. Maybe Alex was right. Maybe some of them are good. Max nods and goes to stand.

 

“I’m going to call Isobel and Michael. They were with me when we found Rosa, they deserve to know she’s okay.” Max says as he walks out of the room.

 

“Tell him to bring Alex too.” Kyle shouts after him.

 

“Oh that’s so sweet. Are Michael and Alex still together?” Rosa asks Kyle and LIz.

 

“You knew about them?” Kyle asks at the same time Liz asks, “What?”

 

“I mean yeah. I have eyes.” She rolls her eyes and Kyle’s immediately transported back ten years to the last time he saw her. He shakes his head to focus.

 

“You told her about?” Kyle trails off, although he’s not sure why. Rosa seems to understand that she was dead, and then brought back to life.

 

“About aliens and everything that happened? Yeah. I’d like to see Papi, but Liz says I have to wait.” Rosa pouts at her sister, and Kyle laughs at the memories it stirs.

 

“Not yet Rosa.” Liz says slightly exasperated.

 

“Well, I at least want to see Jim.” Rosa crosses her arms and Kyle’s stomach drops. He turns to Liz.

 

“You didn’t tell her?” Kyle asks Liz.

 

“Sorry. I’d like to pay my respects, at the cemetery. If I can.” Rosa interrupts. Kyle nods his head. Liz makes a pained noise.

 

“I told you. Jim was a father to anyone that needed one. He was there for me, when I couldn’t let you or Papi help.” Rosa says quietly and Kyle smiles. It sounds so similar to what Alex said about Jim that it makes Kyle’s heart lighter.

 

Kyle squeezes both Rosa and Liz’s hands, suddenly overcome with emotion.

 

“I don’t want to talk about aliens, or pods, or murders. I want to talk about you two. Tell me, what’s been going on these last ten years?” Rosa looks so happy that Kyle can’t help but smile, and he notices neither can Liz. He’s about to answer when the door opens and Michael and Alex walk in.

 

“Seriously Max there better be a good reason for this!” Michael yells and then immediately comes to a stop so suddenly that Alex runs into his back.

 

“Holy shit.” Michael breathes out as he looks from Rosa to Kyle to Liz.

 

“Rosa?” Alex asks quietly as he stands frozen in shock.

 

Kyle can’t stop staring at Michael and Alex. He notices that Michael is wearing that damn belt buckle and black cowboy hat of his. He’s also covered in blood, and really that shouldn’t be sexy, but Kyle can’t help where his mind goes.  _What is he a vampire? He’s definitely more partial to werewolves_.

 

He shakes his head to clear those thoughts, but then he focuses on Alex. Alex who is clad in tight jeans, a red shirt, and a black leather jacket. He swallows.

 

“Oh  _hermano_.” Rosa says and Kyle whips his head around to stare at her. He has to fight the blush that spreads across his neck.

 

“I can’t  _wait_  to hear this story.”


	13. 1x13 Coda.

“Can I take this?” Michael holds up the guitar and asks Maria who is sitting at the bar with her back towards him. She swivels in her chair to look at him questioningly.

“I’ll bring it back.”

“Sure.”

Michael gets up and walks towards her.

“We’ll talk I promise. There’s just someone…something I have to do.”

“I get it Guerin.” Maria says quietly. He looks at her again, his heart aching for something that could’ve been, if he hadn’t given his heart away over ten years ago.

“Thanks DeLuca.”

Michael makes it to the junkyard and the first thing he notices is Alex sitting outside the Airstream, in a leather jacket.

“You’re wearing leather.” Michael swallows and nearly kicks himself.

Alex looks up. “And you’re holding a guitar.”

“Yeah. You see…Max thought it would be a good idea to heal my hand.” Michael holds up his left hand and Alex gasps. Alex grabs his left hand and rubs his fingers over the healed flesh.

“He what?”

“He healed it. And the first thing I wanted to do was play music. To get some quiet. But as I was sitting at the Wild Pony playing music, I realized that it wasn’t quiet. And it took me a minute to realize why.”

“Why wasn’t it quiet?” Alex whispers.

“Because I wasn’t with you.” Michael breathes. He moves to lean his forehead on Alex’s and leaves the guitar between them.

“Music gave me quiet. But you Alex… _you_ give me peace. As much as we fight it. As much as we fight each other. None of it compares. I thought we were always crash landing. But then I was able to get back the one thing I thought made it better, and it didn’t. Because it was always _you_  that made it better.”

“Michael.”

“You said when you look in the mirror you don’t see yourself. But I see you Alex. I’ve always seen you.”

Michael leans forward and closes the distance between them as he kisses Alex for the first time in what feels like forever. Michael basks in the love he feels for Alex, lets it wash through him like a warm glow. He reluctantly breaks the kiss and stares into Alex’s eyes.

“I see you.” Michael whispers and Alex’s breath catches. Alex pulls away and motions for the lawn chairs. As he sits down he turns towards Michael.

“Play for me?”

Michael smiles. “Always darlin’. Fair warning though,  I’m a little rusty.”

“That’s okay.” Alex smiles at him and Michael feels like his heart’s going to burst.

“I’m not playing that terrible Green Day song.” Michael smirks. Alex laughs and Michael thinks it’s the most beautiful sound.

“Okay then cowboy, surprise me.”


	14. Burrito Michael

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from @roswellprompts: Alex finds Michael pulling an Isobel, curled up in his trailer in a cocoon of blankets looking incredibly morose. When Alex asks what’s wrong, Michael woefully tells him all about his poor, poor truck breaking down and needing a ton of work, but he can’t find the parts. When Alex suggests getting a new vehicle instead, Michael threatens to kick him out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am finally moving all of my Tumblr fics to AO3 (I think I have about 40 right now), so apologies in advance for all the notifications. Chapters 14 + are all from the hiatus (there will more than likely be a 2x01 Coda, which will start the S2 fics). I will definitely get better at cross-posting so this doesn't happen again. 
> 
> I also changed the name of this from 'Malex on my mind' because it contains multiple ships. I will update the tags, as well.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Come find me on Tumblr - same username!

Nobody has heard from Michael in days. So naturally Alex is forced to go look for him. And of course, Michael is in his trailer, where Max _swore_ he had checked.

Alex lets himself in and comes to a sudden stop. Michael’s there alright. But he’s wrapped completely in multiple blankets like a burrito, looking every bit as pitiful as Alex has ever seen him.

“What’s wrong?” Alex asks as he closes the door. All he hears is mumbling.

 “What was that?”

 “My truck stopped working.”

 “Okay?”

 Michael lets out a full body sigh, which is impressive given how wrapped up he is. “I can’t find the last two parts anywhere.”

Alex can’t help it, he starts laughing.

“Maybe it’s time to get a new truck.”

Michael pouts so pretty. “You shut your mouth.”

Alex gets a gleam in his eyes and leans dramatically onto the counter. “What happened to it’s just a truck Alex? I’m the best mechanic in town Alex. It doesn’t need a car wash Alex.”

Michael just glares at him and burrows further into the burrito blankets.

“It was my first home.” Michael whispers after a minute.

Alex sighs and walks the short distance to the bed.

“I know it was. That’s why you can fix it.”

“No.”

“I’ll help you find the parts. Hmm. I’m sure the Air Force wouldn’t mind if some were missing.”

Michael smirks at him.

“Well if Uncle Sam is helping…” 

Alex can’t help it, he leans down and kisses Michael. “Okay Cowboy, but only if you do the repairs shirtless.”

“Deal.”


	15. a year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 1 of 4

“Are you going to go see him?” Alex turns at the sound of Kyle’s question.

“No.”

“Alex. It’s been a year. Don’t you think you should?”

“Not like he’s going anywhere.” Alex grumbles.

Kyle sighs like he’s disappointed in Alex. Like Alex has done something wrong for not wanting to go out in the cold to a cave in the desert.

“C’mon. It’ll be good for you.” Kyle attempts to pull Alex up from his chair.

“Good for me? Oh yeah, sure, let’s go with that.”

“Then do it for me.” Kyle levels him with a _look_.

“Fine. You’re driving.” Alex says as he grabs his jacket.

When they make it to the cave, Alex walks up to the pod holding Michael.

A year. One year since Michael sacrificed himself bringing Max back. One year since Liz ran out of the serum it took her months to make. One year since Max told him he couldn’t feel his powers humming beneath his skin anymore. One year and they can’t save Michael.

“Stupid self sacrificing cowboy.” Alex mumbles as he leans his left hand on the pod. He feels his hand heat up and an energy flow through him before he’s shoved back from the pod.

“Alex!” Kyle yells and then gasps. Alex turns to look and then he sees it. Michael, on the ground, naked, after falling out of his pod.

“Help me. Help me put him back in.” Kyle says as he scrambles over to Michael, taking off his jacket as he goes to cover him. Alex goes to do the same thing, when Michael’s eyes pop open and he startles.

“Michael.” Alex breathes out and drops to Michael’s side as Kyle starts rubbing his hands over Michael.

“Valenti. Get your hands off of me.” Michael shoves at Kyle and Alex stops breathing.

“Michael? What? How is this possible?” Kyle asks as Alex stays frozen.

“I don’t know. But seriously, stop touching me.” Michael says and looks around the cave. His eyes settle on Alex and Alex knows he’s crying.

“I don’t understand. How are you okay?” Alex says as he bends slowly to get closer to Michael, handing his outer shirt and jacket to him. Alex goes to reach for him and Michael flinches.

“Kyle?” Michael turns towards Kyle with a startled look in his eyes. Kyle looks between the two of them and then back to Michael.

“Michael? Do you know what’s going on? You were in your pod for a year. We don’t know how you got out of it, but we’ll take you back to Alex’s and see if we can figure it out.” Kyle says calmly like he’s talking to a wild animal.

“Who?” Michael asks incrediously and then turns to Alex. Alex knows he should say something, anything, but he’s frozen in shock.

“I’m…” Alex says and then snaps his mouth shut. He turns pleading eyes to Kyle, but before Kyle can say anything, Michael speaks.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know who you are.”


	16. a year or two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 of 4

“Why can’t he stay with you?” Alex practically begs Max to take Michael home with him.

“Because man, Rosa lives in my guest room.” Max answers _again_. Alex turns to Kyle.

“Don’t look at me, I have a one bedroom apartment.”

Alex shoots him a betrayed look. “Isobel?”

“She doesn’t have the space in her new house.”

Alex sighs and paces on his porch. His leg is killing him, he’s overdone it today, between the cold and the cave, but he doesn’t care. “Why can’t he go back to the Airstream?”

“Because we need to monitor him. He was basically in a coma for a year and now he’s awake and we don’t know why.” Kyle tries to placate him.

“We know why.” Alex snaps. “He’s an alien. This is obviously alien related. Let him go home.”

“Look. I know you don’t want him here…” Max tries to say before Alex turns on him.

“Don’t want him here? He doesn’t _remember_ me. Thirteen years of memories are gone, Max. He walks around my cabin like a skittish animal that weirdly knows where everything is, but he has no idea who I am. Do you understand how painful that is? To have someone you lo- someone look at you and see nothing but a stranger?” Alex’s out of breath by the time he’s done.

Both Kyle and Max turn pitying eyes onto him and he hates it. Alex turns to look inside his cabin and smiles when he sees Isobel and Michael talking. At least _somebody_ is happy. He hates the thought as soon as he has it. He’ll always want Michael alive and well regardless of his own feelings. He just wishes it didn’t hurt so much.

“Let me finish running some tests. Liz said she’ll help. She’s studied their biology before. We know he’s healthy, but there’s no way he came out of that pod on his own. We need to figure it out.” Kyle says and Alex nods.

Liz and Rosa were both here earlier and Alex definitely got a little teary eyed at their reunion and Liz’s breathless ‘Mikey’. Although nothing will ever beat Isobel and Max’s sobs of relief when they held Michael for the first time.

He slumps down into a chair and rubs his hands over his face. They all startle when the front door opens and Michael pops his head out.

“Isobel’s hungry and I saw some stuff for pasta in the kitchen, do you guys want any?” Michael asks as Kyle and Max nod enthusiastically. Michael goes inside and they watch through the window as he shuffles around Alex’s kitchen like he’s done it a hundred times.

“Alex, this is a good thing. If he remembers where things are in your kitchen it means that the memories aren’t gone forever, they might just be hidden.” Kyle says as he tugs Alex up as they all go inside.

Alex grumbles his agreement and goes to sit at the table. He’s about to ask Michael if he needs any help, when Michael turns and tips his head to the side. Alex _knows_ he’s not going to like what Michael says before he even says it.

“Hey. Where’s Maria?”


	17. a year or three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 3 of 4

“So let me get this straight.” Kyle snorts and Alex elbows him while Michael keeps talking. “Maria and I weren’t together before I died bringing Max back?”

Isobel sighs. “No, Michael.”

“So I don’t love her?” Michael asks the question innocently enough but Alex feels like all of the air has been sucked out of his lungs.

“Michael, if you love her, that’s okay. We can’t tell you how to feel.” Isobel tries to placate him, to no avail.

“And she’s mad at me because?”

“Because you wouldn’t tell her our secret.” Max says like he was there those last couple of weeks before they brought him back. He wasn’t. Alex was.

“But now she knows, because she’s dating Izzy.” Michael doesn’t phrase it as a question and he tries to play it off like it doesn’t hurt. But Alex knows better. Michael’s eyes have gone wide and bright and he turns to Alex for the first time since he sat down.

“Michael…” Isobel reaches out to him but he flinches away. Michael looks at Alex again, almost pleading for him to say it’s all a lie.

“I don’t understand. And I feel like you’re all lying to me.” Michael’s getting increasingly agitated if the way he’s pulling on his curls is any indication. Michael stands and starts pacing, a tell that he’s overwhelmed.

“Guerin…” Alex tries to get him to stop pacing but it only sees to frustrate him more.

“No.” Michael turns on him, his eyes blazing fury but his hands are shaking indicating how scared he is. Before any of them can respond Michael turns and heads outside, slamming the cabin door and rattling the walls in his wake.

“Well that could’ve gone better.” Kyle mumbles and Alex gives him a sharp look.

“You think?” Alex is frustrated. They should’ve sat Michael down and explained everything that had happened over the last year, like Alex wanted, but _no_ , nobody else wanted to do that.

“I’ll go talk…” Isobel tries to say, but Alex cuts her off.

“No. I’ll go. You’ve done enough.” Alex snaps and heads outside, ignoring the sounds of Isobel’s cries. He finds Michael pacing in the front clearing, a favorite spot of his, and it’s so normal that it almost makes Alex cry.

“Hey.” Alex says quietly and Michael stops pacing.

“Come to lie to me some more?” Michael snarks and Alex sighs.

“No. I never wanted to anyways.”

“I believe you. Why do I believe you?” Michael asks as he tilts his head.

“We’ve known each other a long time.” Alex says quietly.

“Is that why I know my way around your place and I keep getting these feelings like I’ve been here before?”

“I think so.”

“Why didn’t anyone tell me about Maria?” Michael asks and all of the air leaves Alex’s lungs. If there was one thing he was hoping to avoid, it was this. They’ve already hashed out everything with Maria and what went on after Caulfield and he doesn’t know if he can do it again.

“I think they didn’t want to hurt you.”

“Hurt me? I’m already hurting.” Michael’s eyes flash and he tugs on his curls.

“Michael…” Alex tries and fails to say something, but he honestly doesn’t know what to say. As usual, Michael keeps taking the words from him.

“I hate what this feels like. Loving someone who doesn’t love you back.”


	18. two years

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 4 of 4

Alex is drunk. He deserves to be. Or at least that’s what he tells himself when he sits down harshly on the dirt floor in front of Michael’s pod.

Two years. It’s been two years since Michael died bringing Max back, and while Michael’s been alive and out of his pod for a year, he still has no memory of Alex. So he might as well still be in the damn pod.

He lifts the tequila to his lips and finishes the bottle before he leans against the pod so he doesn’t fall completely over.

He hates the pods. He hates Michael’s pod. He wants to pop it. He wants to shove a big silver needle into it and let it evaporate into the atmosphere.

“You look like you’re about to murder the pod.” Alex startles as Michael walks into the cave.

“There’s a spare.” Alex gestures to Noah’s pod that’s sitting in the corner. Its sickly green and yellow hue illuminating the rocks around it.

Michael chuckles and Alex winces. He misses Michael’s laugh. After they figured out that Michael wasn’t regaining his missing memories of Alex they steered clear of each other. Only seeing each other when their friends all hung out.

“What are you doing here?” Alex asks after the silence stretches into uncomfortable awkwardness.

“I had a feeling you would be here.”

“You and your feelings.” Alex grumbles. This was another sticking point with them. Michael’s feelings and muscle memory of Alex weren’t gone, _no_ , just Alex.

“What do you want me to say Alex?”

“Nothing. Look I’ll leave.” Alex goes to get up but he stumbles and Michael catches him.

“Woah. You’re not going anywhere Private, you’re drunk.”

Alex freezes and stares a little cross eyed at Michael.

“What did you just say?”

“You’re drunk?”

“No. Before that.”

“I…” Michael screws his face up in concentration. “I don’t remember.”

Alex sighs, big and dramatic. Michael’s been saying things like ‘Private’ for about six months now. And whenever Alex asks him to repeat it he usually doesn’t remember ever saying it.

“Figures.” Alex mumbles and leans on the pod to get out of Michael’s hold. As soon as his hand touches the pod he feels electricity shooting up his arm and he shouts.

“Alex!” Michael yells and tries to yank his arm away from the pod. The second their hands touch on the pod they’re both flung backwards and they land in the dirt with a thud.

“Fuck.” Alex grabs his head as he tries to sit up.

“Alex! Alex, are you hurt?” Michael frantically runs his hands over Alex looking for injuries. Alex tries to shove him away and Michael rocks back on his heels. He turns his head to look at Michael who is just staring back at him.

“What are you doing?”

“I never look away.” Michael breathes out and Alex pauses.

“What did you just say?”

“I never look away, Alex.”

“I…” Alex closes his mouth. This is the first time Michael has said something about them that he’s remembered afterwards.

“I’m sorry.” Michael says as he crawls closer to where Alex is sitting. “It’s like a fog has been lifted and everything I thought I was remembering is back and everything makes sense. I’m sorry I left you two years ago. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that I thought I wouldn’t make it trying to save Max. Hell, I’m sorry for the last year. All the hurtful things I’ve said to you, when I couldn’t remember.”

“Michael. I…I don’t know what to say.”

“Say you forgive me. Say that you’re sick of the freaky alien shit that always messes up our lives. Say that we can try again. I know I’ve been gone a while, but I’m back now.”

“I’m not sick of the alien shit.” Alex mumbles and Michael laughs.

“Oh, darlin’ I love you.” Michael says as he leans over and kisses Alex. Alex breathes for what feels like the first time in two years. It feels like he’s home.

“I love you, too.”

 


	19. bonding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 1 of 2

Michael took another swig of nail polish remover and put his left hand in the sand. It was wet and sticky from an earlier rain storm, but he didn’t care. He puts the nail polish remover to his lips for another sip when a figure plops down in the sand next to him.

“What are you doing out here Doc?” Michael asks as Kyle takes a long pull from the fancy bottle of tequila he has wrapped up in a paper bag.

“Same thing as you, I suppose.” Kyle says slightly slurred.

“Oh? Came to reminisce in the rubble of the place where our parents were murdered?” Michael snarks and takes the tequila for his own swig.

“Jesus Guerin.”

“No? Didn’t think so.”

“You can be a real asshole, ya know.”

“I’ve heard that before.” Michael drawls slow and easy while he finishes the bottle of acetone and picks up another.

“I thought we could…”

“What? Bond? Talk about our feelings?”

“Fuck you.” Kyle says with bite. “Alex would…”

“Oh yes. Let’s. Let’s talk about the man we’re both in love with whose father killed my mom and your dad.” Michael sneers. He turns to look at Kyle and sees the blush taking over his neck and cheeks. Michael smirks.

“Well damn, Valenti. I guess we have more in common than I thought.”

“Yeah I guess we do.”


	20. more bonding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 of 2

“Jesus. Get off of me.” Michael shoves at Kyle’s dead to the world body to try and dislodge him from his chest. “You’re heavy.”

“Stop. You’re warm.” Kyle mumbles as he settles more firmly against Michael.

“Awe, Doc. You do like me.” Michael drawls and Kyle chuckles then winces.

“How much did we drink last night? And where are we?”

Before Michael can answer he feels a kick against his shoulder and turns to look up and immediately regrets it when his eyes hit the sun. “Shit.”

“Is there a reason you’re both passed out on my front porch?” Alex asks and Michael’s brain is too fried to figure out if he’s pissed, amused, or both.

“Alex!” Kyle exclaims as he jumps off of Michael, almost kneeing him in the process, and then immediately launches himself over to the side of the porch to throw up. When he’s done he rolls over and groans.

“Tequila.” Michael answers Alex’s question once Kyle has stopped moaning. He chances another glance at Alex to see his eyebrow raised and a contemplative look on his face.

“There’s a hose on the side of the cabin. Use it. You both smell.” Alex says and then he turns to go back inside, slamming the door loudly in his wake, making both Michael and Kyle groan.

“I’m making coffee!” Alex yells from inside.

Michael smirks and carefully hauls himself up. He takes a second to let the world stop spinning and then he stumbles over to Kyle’s sad form. He holds out a hand to help Kyle up.

“C’mon Kyle, lets go get wet.”


	21. breakable heaven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (tw: after the toolshed, mentions of abuse, descriptions of injuries)

Michael doesn’t know where Alex is taking him, but he honestly doesn’t care. Alex is black and blue and Michael’s hand looks like it went through a meat grinder. The pain is almost unbearable, and he was only able to get down a bottle and a half of acetone before Alex found him.

They walk up to a front door and Michael leans more heavily on Alex even though he knows Alex’s ribs are bruised.

“Alex. Whose house is this?” Michael grits out through the pain.

“Shh. They’ll help.” Alex says as he knocks on the door. Michael sees the lights turn on and then the Sheriff, Jim Valenti, is opening the door. Michael freezes instinctively and tries to get out of Alex’s hold, but Alex is strong and tightens his grip.

“Jim. Please. He can’t go to a hospital.” Alex grabs Michael’s left hand and Michael barely contains a scream.

“Alex? Son, what happened?” Jim asks as he pulls them inside. Alex shakes his head as Jim pulls Alex’s face into the light. The bruising has already started to form and Alex winces. Jim takes the hint and pulls them further into the house.

“Jesse?” Jim asks them quietly. Alex nods and Michael sees a silent conversation pass between them. Just as Michael’s about to sit down, Jim’s wife, Michelle, comes in.

“Oh god. That son of a bitch.” Michelle curses and goes to put ice on Alex’s face.

“No. I can’t. He doesn’t let me treat them for the first twenty four hours. He’ll know. I have to go home, but please can you help Michael.” Alex leans his head towards Michael’s hand that’s still wrapped up in a bloody t-shirt. Michelle gasps as Jim nods.

“Michelle. Take Milo for a walk, make sure he gets home, but don’t be seen.” Jim grabs the leash for their dog and hands it to her as she nods. Jim turns to Alex.

“You left your window open?” At Alex’s nod Jim continues. “We’ll take care of him. Go.” He pats Alex’s head and Alex’s squeezes Michael’s right hand.

“Alex?” Michael croaks out as he reaches for Alex’s hand. Alex pauses and comes up to him.

“Let them help you Michael. I promise, it’ll be okay.” Alex looks into his eyes and Michael calms down. He takes a deep breath and nods. Just as Alex is about to walk out of the front door, Kyle comes into the living room and Alex flinches. Michael can hear him ask what happened.

“Mijo. Help your father. He’s in the kitchen.” Michelle says.

Michael’s momentarily distracted by Kyle coming into the kitchen so he doesn’t notice when Jim takes off the bloody t-shirt and he yelps.

“Shit.” Kyle says as he looks at Michael’s hand.

“Kyle get me the first aid kit.” Jim says as he examines Michael’s hand and Michael whimpers at every touch. When Kyle walks down the hall Jim runs into his bedroom and comes back with two bottles of nail polish remover.

Michael freezes and backs away on the chair. “No.” He whispers as Jim’s voice gets farther and farther away. He can’t breathe.

“Michael. Michael. It’s okay, son. It’s okay. I know. I know. And I’ll explain everything, but you’re in pain. Please. Nothing will happen to you. Let me help you.” Jim shoves the nail polish remover towards him and Michael breathes in and out, until he feels the panic recede.

He takes the olive branch and finishes both bottles before Kyle comes back with everything. He’s floating in a haze from almost four full bottles of acetone but he can still feel the pain as Jim tries to stop the bleeding and assess the damage to his hand.

“What did he use?” Jim asks him as Kyle hands him a water.

“A hammer.” Michael whispers. Jim’s hand falters and Kyle slumps heavily in a chair.

“Jesus.” Jim exclaims and continues examining his hand. “I’m just going to wrap it tonight to try and stop the bleeding. But I want to set the fingers.” Jim tugs lightly on one and Michael whimpers.

“No.” Michael says breathlessly.

“I have to son. It won’t heal right if I don’t.” Jim grabs a towel and hands it to Michael. “Put this in your mouth, it’s going to hurt but we can’t wake the neighbors with your screams.”

Michael takes the towel and bites down on it. He thinks he hears Jim counting down and then the pain hits. He knows he’s screaming, the white hot pain almost feels like he’s getting hit again. He can vaguely feel Kyle press his face into his chest as he sobs through the agony. When Jim is done and his hand is wrapped, he can hear Kyle and Jim mumbling.

“We need to get him on the couch. With the amount of pain he’s in I’m surprised he’s still awake. Go grab the extra pillows and sheets.” Jim instructs Kyle and then turns to help Michael.

“Can you walk?” Jim asks as he takes most of Michael’s weight. Michael nods and practically falls into the couch. Michael can hear Michelle getting home and saying that Alex is safe in his room, and that’s enough for him to succumb to the darkness and let sleep take him.


	22. this time

“Where are you taking me?” Kyle asks as Michael pulls him along to somewhere. It’s not that he minds spending his lunch break with Michael, but he is hungry.

“You’ll see.” Michael says coyly.

“Does this have something to do with Alex?”

“ _Maybe_.”

“I don’t know why you couldn’t bring Isobel with you.”

“Because, Isobel is _friends_ with Alex.”

“I’m friends with Alex.” Kyle doesn’t whine, he _doesn’t_.

“Yeah but it’s not the same.”

“I’m trying not to be offended, but I’d really like to -” Kyle trails off when he sees where they’ve stopped. “Oh.”

“Yeah.” Michael says and Kyle looks into the window of the only jewelry store in town.

“What about Max?”

“Dude. No.”

“Isobel would probably still be better for this.”

“She married you, so you obviously did something right.” Michael deadpans and nods his head towards the store.

“Alex was with me.” Kyle points out and Michael smiles.

“I know.” Michael walks towards the door. “C’mon man, I don’t want to mess it up this time.”

Wait… “This time?!”


	23. surf's up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animal Kingdom/Roswell, New Mexico cross-over

Alex sits down on their new gray couch and smiles. He looks out at the sand and the waves and thinks that moving to California with Michael is the best decision they ever made.

Michael walks in the front door with their beagle, Wentz, and places his cowboy hat on the table. Alex used to think it looked out of place in their boho chic house, but somehow it fits. Just like them.

“Hey darlin’. Long day?” Michael asks, with all his New Mexico drawl that he lays on thick when they meet locals, as he sits down next to him to watch the waves.

It calms them both, in a way that only music used to do. Michael kisses him once and settles more firmly into the couch, Wentz on the floor by their feet.

“Yeah. I took a walk by the pier earlier, still getting used to walking in the sand.”

“Mmm. We can stay in tonight if you want.” Michael says as he rubs a hand down Alex’s arm.

“No, no. I want to go out.” Alex leans into Michael and sighs as he releases the tension from the day. Working from home shouldn’t be this stressful. “Plus, I like our neighbors. I feel like we haven’t seen them in forever.”

“We see them almost every morning.” Michael points out as they both laugh.

“Yeah, but it’s not the same.”

“We _did_ make plans to go out for dinner.”

“You only want to go because they offered to drive.” Alex chuckles fondly at Michael’s outraged look. Alex won’t admit it but he’s fond of his neighbors car too. Michael on the other hand, practically drools at the sight of it.

“The Scout is a thing of beauty and should always be driven.” Michael says with conviction.

“I’m gonna tell your truck you’re having an affair.”

Michael makes an affronted noise and places a hand on his chest. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Alex laughs. “It’s okay babe, I know the Scout loves you too.”

“Damn right.”


	24. meet me in the afterglow

“Is there a reason you’re sulking?” Michael asks as he sits down next to Kyle in the Wild Pony.

“I’m not sulking.”

“You’re literally sitting by yourself in a bar and picking at the label of your beer bottle.” Michael levels him with a look.

“I miss them.”

“I miss them, too.” Michael responds to Kyle’s statement about the road trip that Liz took the newly resurrected Rosa on. They’ve been gone six weeks and something tells Michael they aren’t coming back anytime soon.

“Have you talked to them at all?” Michael asks after a minute.

“Yeah. It’s just weird. I found out that Rosa was my sister when she was dead, and then she came back, and neither of us really knew how to act. But I want to know her. As she is now.”

“You’ll get there. Families are complicated.” Luckily that gets a laugh out of Kyle.

“You could say that, Guerin.”

“Oh I know. C’mon let’s play some pool.” Michael gestures to the pool tables where Isobel and Max are bickering. Michael starts to grab Kyle’s arm but he’s being stubborn and isn’t budging. Michael sits back down and looks at Kyle.

“Kyle?” Michael asks quietly.

“What if they never come back Michael?” Kyle whispers.

Michael understands his fear, he does. He misses Liz something fierce and he knows Max does too. Liz will have to start working on her new study at the hospital eventually though. But, he doesn’t say any of that since he knows it will fall on deaf ears.

“Then we’ll go see them.”

“Really?” Kyle looks hopeful for the first time tonight and Michael smiles.

“Yeah. Wouldn’t be our first road trip.” Michael quips and Kyle laughs. Michael has missed Kyle’s laugh.

These last few months haven’t been easy on any of them and Michael and Kyle haven’t been able to hang out or be together. He’ll probably never admit this to Kyle, but he misses holding hands with him when they venture outside of Roswell. He misses falling asleep on the couch together in Kyle’s apartment and talking in bed together before Kyle’s shift at the hospital. He misses how their showers always take too long, making breakfast in the morning, rubbing his fingers over Kyle’s stubble, laughing at dumb movies, and how he always steals Kyle’s clothes.

With Alex coming back and Michael being so consumed with not only him, but his own grief, Kyle has taken a backseat. Michael hates it, hates that this happened, but now he can only fix it.

“Only if I get to pick the music.” Kyle says as he finally allows Michael to drag him out of the booth.

“Deal. But her new album please? I can’t handle teenage Taylor Swift.” Michael smiles at the sound of Kyle’s laughter and ducks at the napkin Kyle throws at him. He makes a quick decision as he pulls Kyle towards the door.

“What?” Before Kyle can finish his question, Michael has dragged him outside and pushed him up against the wall. He takes one second to look into Kyle’s eyes and then he’s kissing him. Hard. It’s bruising and all consuming. Months of pent up anger and want, making them both a little desperate. Kyle grabs ahold of his curls and tugs and Michael whimpers. Honest to god, whimpers. Kyle swallows the sound with his tongue.

When they finally come up for air, Michael leans his forehead against Kyle’s collarbone to collect himself.

“I missed you.” Michael whispers against Kyle’s throat and he feels Kyle still in response. He looks up and sees Kyle’s slightly terrified eyes.

“I thought we didn’t do that? Feelings.” Kyle whispers back.

“What if I want too?” Michael asks as he leans his forehead against Kyle’s.

“You’ll have to meet my mom.” Kyle jokes as he steals a kiss.

“I’ve met your mom.” Michael scoffs but smiles.

“Yeah. In handcuffs.”

“That was one time! And she walked in on us!” Michael says outraged and then sobers. “The one time I see her outside the station and I was still in cuffs.” He grumbles.

Kyle chuckles and kisses him again. “I’ve missed you, too.”


	25. ultraviolet morning light

“I don’t know why I’m here.” Michael grumbles as he looks up at the sign that reads _Outer Rims_. “You could’ve brought Alex.”

“I didn't want to bring - ”

“ _Or_ you could’ve ordered this stuff online, like most people do.” Michael gestures around at the various sex toys that line the shelves.

“Because man, I wanted to experience this.”

Michael scoffs. “You still could’ve brought Alex.”

“I didn’t want too.”

“Is it because he’s gay?”

Kyle looks offended but Michael raises an eyebrow. “What?! No dude. Not at all. Plus you’re bi.”

Michael huffs. “Then why me?”

Kyle stops walking down an aisle and turns towards Michael, who notices Kyle’s ears and cheeks have turned pink.

“Because.”

“Because why?”

“I hear we have some common interests.” Kyle says vaguely and keeps looking at the nearest display.

“Interests?” Michael asks curiously.

“Yeah. You know. With this?” Kyle gestures to the store and _oh_.

“Alex tell you that I like to be tied down Valenti?” Michael smirks at Kyle’s scandalized look and he laughs.

“He just mentioned you might be able to help.”

“Oh I can help alright.” Michael starts pointing out the toys he likes the most, even some ridiculous ones, just to get a rise out of Kyle. And partially because he’s going through the mental catalogue of his and Alex’s stash at home, so he can prepare for later.

By the time Kyle has paid a ridiculous fee for all of his new toys and they step outside Michael finally asks who Kyle’s been seeing.

“So, Valenti, you never did tell me who all this was for?” Michael gestures to Kyle’s bag and Kyle smirks. It’s a smirk that Michael has seen before, and it definitely means that he’s up to no good.

Kyle simply pulls his shirt to the side to reveal an iridescent handprint, that looks an awful lot like the ones Michael can leave on Alex, except the handprint on Kyle is smaller and more slender. It hits Michael all at once.

“Oh. Ew, Valenti. Seriously you brought me to help you pick out sex toys that you’re going to use with my sister? Ew. No.” Michael tries very hard not to turn green.

Kyle puts on his sunglasses and smiles. “Thanks for all the help!”

“You’re an asshole!”

Kyle turns and blows him a kiss.


	26. it's a cruel summer

“Will you just hold still?” Kyle asks him again as he struggles to tie his tie.

“Sorry.” Michael mumbles.

“I don’t know why you didn’t let me tie it at home.”

“Because I didn’t want to sit with it tied around my neck the whole way here.”

Kyle laughs and leans towards him when Michael hears a voice he thought he’d never hear again.

“Kyle?”

“Alex!” Kyle spins towards Alex and goes to hug him.

“What are you doing here?” Alex asks as he pats Kyle on the back.

“Your brother invited me. He invited my whole family but we came in from Albuquerque.”

“We?”

“Oh sorry. Michael, come meet Alex, the grooms brother.”

Michael looks up and sees Alex for the first time in twelve years. He’s just as gorgeous as Michael remembers. _Michael really should’ve read the invitation_.

“Michael.”

“Alex.” Michael says and keeps staring. The silence must stretch because Kyle starts talking.

“Do you two know each other?”

At Alex’s nod, he can hear Kyle putting the pieces together.

“Oh! You must’ve met that summer Michael was in Roswell before college. He’s Max and Isobel Evans’ cousin.”

_They did meet that summer and Michael can still remember the first time he saw Alex Manes in all his emo glory. He remembers first kisses and first times. Rings tangled in his curls and black nails strumming a guitar. Milkshakes and stargazing. Nights spent talking about anything and everything._

He’s brought out of his daydream by Alex’s question. He flexes his left hand and feels the familiar twinge to remind himself how that summer ended.

“How did you two meet?”

“We met at Liz and Max’s wedding actually. So glad she didn’t have any qualms about inviting an ex. We hit it off and discovered that we both lived in Albuquerque. Michael’s an engineering professor at UNM and I’m a surgical resident at the hospital there.” Kyle answers for them. Michael smiles as he remembers Kyle’s wide smile and nervous rambling when they met.

“So you brought him to my brother’s wedding?” Alex asks in confusion.

“Sorry, should’ve said that.” Kyle laughs and turns to smile at Michael. “He’s my plus one.”

Alex’s breath hitches and Michael knows he’s looking down at where Kyle has grabbed Michael’s left hand. It’s hard to hide their closeness when Kyle keeps rubbing small circles over the mangled fingers and scars in a way that speaks to someone who’s done it before. Michael wants to say something, anything, to diffuse the tension that’s growing between them.

Michael must make a noise because Kyle is amending his previous statement and landing an unknown punch all at once.

“My bad.” Kyle says as he turns to Michael and squeezes his hand again before he turns back to Alex, who is looking at them wide eyed and a little pale. “He’s my fiancé.”


	27. soulmates 2 & 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt fill for @el-gilliath.
> 
> 2\. You have a tattoo of your soulmate’s name on your wrist.  
> 3\. You crave whatever your soulmate is eating.

Alex is born with weird symbols on his wrist, flesh colored and scar like. He learns quickly that they make his mother worry and his father angry, so he stops asking about them. He memorizes the twists and turns of the symbols early on and loves to draw them out, wondering what language they are and what they say.

Alex is seven when the letters appear. _Michael_ , they spell, which makes Alex wonder if his own name appears in two languages on Michael’s wrist as well.

Alex is fourteen the first time he smells Liz and Maria’s freshly painted nails and wants to taste them. Immediately freaked out, he starts researching soulmates and finds that some pairs will crave whatever the other one is eating.

Alex wonders why his soulmate is drinking acetone, and the only way the cravings go away, is to start painting his nails, and covering them with nail polish remover. The smell alone isn’t enough to satisfy him, but it’s the best he can do.

Alex is sixteen when he starts craving saltine crackers mixed with acetone. It makes Alex sad to realize that his soulmate doesn’t each much, and when he does, Alex is usually only craving a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in return. It makes Alex start drinking lots of water and eating a lot of crackers and peanut butter so his soulmate doesn’t crave foods he can’t eat.

Alex is seventeen when he realizes Michael Guerin is his soulmate and before he can ask about the lack of food and acetone, Michael’s hand is being shattered and Alex actually ends up taking a shot of nail polish remover that night to stop the burning need he feels for it.

Alex is twenty nine and sitting next to Michael on his truck bed when he brings it up for the first time. They’ve danced around the soulmate issue for years now, and with the alien reveal, the symbols on his wrist make a lot more sense.

“Thank you for finally putting the acetone in that berry flavored drink.”

“What?” Michael asks as he puts down his drink and turns to Alex.

“The acetone. It’s a real bitch to crave that when I can’t drink it. The amount of alcohol you drink is also a little concerning but I learned to cook with it, and oversees it was easy to push down.”

“You crave what I drink?!”

“Don’t you?” Alex raises an eyebrow and looks at Michael.

“You mostly drink water.” Michael protests quietly. Alex nods and reaches for Michael’s newly healed left hand. It’s still weird to lace his fingers with Michael’s and not feel the ridges and scars but he squeezes them tightly before letting go.

“It helps make me full.” Alex shrugs his shoulders as he lets out the simple truth. He knows that their bond is weird. Most soulmates only crave food, not drinks, but Alex thinks it might have to do with Michael being an alien.

“You’ve been doing that since we were young.” Michael says quietly, almost to himself. “So I wouldn’t crave food I couldn’t eat.”

Alex nods once and looks at Michael, who’s eyes have gone all soft and fond. Until they turn wide and horrified.

“Oh god. The acetone.”

Alex chuckles. “Yeah. That’s why I like that berry drink. It masks the flavor so I can drink my own and it satisfies the craving.”

Michael makes a noise. “Have you ever?”

“Once. The night of the toolshed. Just a shot though. It helped.”

Michael pulls him close and Alex tucks into Michael’s side.

“I’m sorry. If I had known…”

“It’s okay. You didn’t. Hell, I didn’t know why you were drinking it until our talk a couple of months ago.”

Michael shakes his head and laughs. “Damn, we’re a pair.”

Alex smiles and leans up to kiss him. “We fit.”


	28. the thing you love the most is the detriment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For @bestillmyslashyheart who asked for Soulmate Prompt #15. Whenever you lose something, your soulmate finds it. 
> 
> Part 1 of 2

Alex will lie to anyone who asks, but he definitely lost his guitar that day senior year. When he found it in Michael Guerin’s hands, confirming they were soulmates, it had taken everything he had to contain his excitement and not blurt it right out.

Throughout the years, he always found it endearing when he would find something of Michael’s that he had lost.

Things like Michael’s truck keys, which Alex found in Iraq, and had to pay a ridiculous fee to send them back. His wallet, which Alex held onto for a couple of days once he discovered the pictures of them that Michael kept in there. A plaid shirt, worn with age, that smelled like Michael, which Alex has not given back. And Alex’s favorite, Michael’s black cowboy hat, which Alex found when he was on leave, and promptly wore to Michael’s Airstream to return it to its rightful owner.

It was endearing, until it wasn’t. Alex rolls over again for the fifth night this week that he hasn’t been able to sleep, and startles when his face hits a hard object. Briefly wondering why his phone is on the other cold pillow, he doesn’t pay it any mind, until said phone starts ringing and he realizes his phone is on his night stand. Groggily he picks it up without looking at the name of the caller.

“‘Lo.”

“Alex? Thank god.”

“Guerin?” Alex asks as he sits up, groans, and tries to wipe the sleep from his eyes.

“Tell me you have it?” Michael asks frantically and Alex can tell he’s pacing back and forth, if the sound of his boots scuffing on the ground is any indication.

“Have what?” Alex is frustrated and he looks at the clock and wants to scream. “It’s three a.m.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I just can’t find it.”

“Find what?”

All Alex gets in response to this question is silence.

“Find what, Michael?” Alex growls.

“It’s a small black box.” Michael whispers and the breath leaves Alex immediately. He moves his left hand and reaches towards the other pillow. He breathes out loudly when his hands wrap around the little black box in question.

He doesn’t want to look at it, doesn’t _want_ to see it, but he needs the light on to get his bearings, even if he’d rather have this conversation in the dark.

“Alexa, turn on the lights.” Alex squints when his lights turn on and he turns the box over in his hand a few times before he answers Michael.

“I have it.” Alex can hear Michael’s exhale. “I’ll bring it to you.”

“No need. I’m already on my way to you. Thank you, Alex. Seriously.”

“What is lost will be found.” Alex recites from memory his favorite part of the soulmate ceremony.

Michael makes a noise. “I know, but this -”

“She’ll love it Michael.”

“You looked at the ring?”

“No. I just know.” After all, he lost his heart to Michael when he was seventeen, and he never got it back.


	29. diggin' myself down deeper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soulmate Prompt #15. Whenever you lose something, your soulmate finds it. 
> 
> Part 2 of 2

When Michael walks through the front door Alex is on the couch with his prosthetic on. Better to be prepared.

“Here.” Alex says as he holds out the ring box.

“Alex I -”

“I’m sure she’ll love it Guerin.”

“No it’s -”

“I guess I didn’t realize how serious it was.”

“It’s no -”

“I guess I should tell you congratulations, right?”

“Can you -”

“I mean, it’s not everyday your soulmate -”

“It’s for you!” Michael explodes and Alex pauses. Michael’s chest is heaving and he looks frazzled.

“What?” Alex asks quietly.

“The ring. It’s for you Alex.”

“I don’t understand.”

Michael sighs and sits down on the chair opposite the couch as he grabs his curls and rubs at his face.

“I bought it when we were eighteen, before you left. I’ve been trying to give it to you ever since, but we keep messing this up.”

Alex is pretty sure he’s in shock. His mouth has formed a perfect ‘O’ and he’s staring at Michael.

“Maria and I broke up.” Michael says to change the subject and to break up the tension.

“What? Why?”

“Because you’re my soulmate. And apparently we think alike because you were cleaning out an old memory box, too. If this showing up on my dash when I was driving her home is any indication.”

Michael pulls a love worn teddy bear out of his jacket pocket. Alex gasps and reaches for it. He was wondering where it went when he pulled the box it was stored in down from his closet earlier today.

“She recognized it. Which obviously didn’t end very well.”

“I’m sorry.” Alex says as he puts the teddy bear down.

“Don’t be. We were already broken up before that happened. I was just driving her home and it showed up. Which led to a conversation I should’ve had with her at the beginning.”

“I don’t really know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything, darlin’.”

“Michael.” Alex warns while trying to stop his cheeks from turning bright red. It’s been so long since Michael has called him that.

Michael takes that as an invitation to sit next to Alex on the couch and he flips the ring box over in his hand a few times before Alex stills his movements.

“Do you want to see it?” Michael asks him shyly. It makes Alex smile.

“No.”

Michael’s face falls and Alex is quick to reassure.

“I’ll see it when you ask me for real.”


	30. soulmates 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt fill for @theredandwhitequeen
> 
> Soulmates Prompt #16. You feel the pain your soulmate feels (if they get punched in the face you feel it)

Alex is just minding his own business down in the Project Shephard bunker with Kyle when he feels it. He winces slightly and shifts in his chair, hoping that whatever Michael is doing will end soon. _No such luck_.

He winces again and Alex is going to kill Michael.

“Dude, what’s wrong?” Kyle asks concerned as he starts towards Alex.

“Nothing. It’s fine.” Alex responds through gritted teeth. Not because he’s in severe pain, but so he doesn’t moan in front of Kyle.

“Uh. I know you can’t see your face, but you’re not fine.”

Alex rolls his eyes as another wave of pain comes through. Only, this pain isn’t being inflicted because of someone else. This isn’t a bar fight, or a hammer, or a junkyard accident. No, this pain feels exactly like how Michael likes to have sex. Rough, with little lube. And he’s totally doing it on purpose.

Alex puts his head against the table, determined to just ride it out, when Kyle walks over.

“Alex?”

“It’s not me, it’s Michael.” Alex finally admits as he pants through Michael stretching himself open. _The_ _asshole_.

“Michael? Oh. _Oh_.” Kyle chuckles. “Damn. Never thought of soulmates having this ability.”

“Well, it’s usually a lot more fun.” Alex pushes his sweaty hair off of his forehead. “Would probably be more fun if you left, so I can deal with this.”

“Yeah dude. Call me when it’s safe!” Kyle yells as he starts to leave. Alex wants to respond but he’s too busy moaning and banging his head against the table.

**~~~**

The next time he sees Michael at the Wild Pony he walks right up to him and shoves a bottle of lube in his hands. Michael just smirks at him.

“Well hello to you too darlin’.”

“Shut up. Use this next time.” Alex huffs and goes to leave when Michael snags his arm and turns him around so they’re flush chest to chest.

“Rather you use it with me.” Michael says with his cowboy drawl that usually has Alex going weak in the knees.

Alex just smirks. “Nah, Cowboy. I think you’ll do just fine on your own.” He pulls the remote out of his pocket as he walks away and turns the vibrator on that he’s wearing to the highest setting, causing him to feel the slight stretch, but knowing it’ll feel like a lot more to Michael.

He turns back around just as Michael falls back into his seat, a fist going to his mouth as he tries to swallow the moan.

Their eyes meet and Alex smiles. It’s gonna be a long night.


	31. grinning like a devil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Michael Guerin Week - Day 1

“To what do I owe the pleasure, Private?” Michael drawls from one of his many lawn chairs, smirk in place, as Alex makes his way towards him.

“Guerin.” Alex says clipped as he walks over holding what looks like folders and some USB Drives.

“What do you have there?” Michael gestures towards the files as Alex takes a laptop out of his bag.

“Files. From Caulfield.”

Michael sucks in an involuntary breath. They don’t _do_ this. Talk. It’s been weeks since he ended things with Maria and Alex has wanted little to do with him.

“Why are you showing me?” Michael asks quietly, as Alex pulls out a bag of Michael’s favorite chocolate chip cookies. Alex hasn’t made them in years.

“Alex?”

“Just wait a second. And eat some cookies.”

Alex chuckles to himself as he turns on the laptop and Michael opens the bag and nearly moans at the taste of the cookies.

Alex has the laptop pulled up and the screen turn towards him but he won’t show it to Michael.

“Show me.”

“I don’t know if I should.”

“Is she hurt?” Michael asks, having guessed why Alex would bring this data to him.

“No. No! God, I wouldn’t show you that.” Alex looks mildly horrified.

“Okay then, show me.”

Alex turns the screen towards him and it’s a video of his mother. She’s younger on the screen than he remembers and he lets out a gasp. She’s writing something on the ground in the dirt but Michael can’t make it out.

“What is she writing?” Michael asks quietly.

“We think she’s writing ‘Happy Birthday Rath’ if we’ve matched up the symbols to Jim’s drawings correctly.”

Michael freezes and looks at the symbols she’s drawing again and the time stamp of the video. There’s more videos, too. Alex shows him one with today’s date, every year, with the same message. He knows from his brief encounter with his mother that his birth name was Rath. She had smiled at him when he mentioned they call him Michael. Alex is the only one who knows.

“It’s…it’s.” Michael can barely get the words out. Alex squeezes his hand and Michael drops the cookies and the laptop and hugs Alex. Alex pulls him into his arms and tucks his face against his neck and Michael has never felt such peace.

“Happy Birthday Michael.”


	32. pinned your hands behind your back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For @bestillmyslashyheart who asked for Soulmate Prompt #6. There’s a red string attaching you by your finger to your soulmate. 
> 
> Michael Guerin Week - Day 2

**Past**

“You have a soulmate?” Shirley, or Shelley, or Sheila asks him as he rolls off of her.

“What?”

“You have a soulmate. I can see the string.”

“You can?”

“Of course. We had sex. Anyone you’re with who isn’t your soulmate will see the red string. Didn’t you know that?”

“No.”

“It doesn’t connect to anything. Have you met them?”

“Yes.” Michael says in a clipped tone. He doesn’t want to talk about Alex, and he really just wants to leave.

“Oh. Is she dead?”

“No. He’s not.”

**~~~**

Michael only sleeps with people in the dark after this, and leaves before it’s light.

**Present**

As he gets closer to Alex the string becomes more visible. Almost like an ombré effect until they’re touching and the red string snaps fully into place.

He pulls up to Alex’s cabin and the red string on his ring finger drags him towards the door. Alex opens it before he knocks and as soon as their left hands touch the string is complete.

“Hi.” Michael says sheepishly. Even when they’re fighting they’re holding hands. _Stupid fate._

“Hi.” Alex says back as they walk inside. They’ve been working on this friends thing and trying to get back all of the years that they lost. It isn’t easy and tough conversations like this one are more frequent than not. But they’re trying.

Michael’s a bundle of nerves as they sit on the couch. He doesn’t know how to say this, doesn’t _want_ to say this, but he needs to.

“Maria can see the string.” Michael blurts out without preamble and ducks his head. “I should’ve mentioned it sooner, but since we -”

“Kyle can see the string too.”

“ - were together.” Michael pauses. “I’m sorry, did you just say _Valenti_ can see our string?!”

Alex nods and Michael’s mouth drops open. He has so many questions, but luckily Alex takes pity on him. “We kissed once when we were twelve, before I met you and before he became an asshole. He didn’t realize it was you though, until recently.”

“I -”

“It’s not a big deal.” Alex says quietly as he squeezes his left hand, now void of any scarring. Their string has wrapped itself around their fingers, as if it’s trying to get closer to them.

“Did I tell you I first saw the string complete when I was five?”

“What? No. How?”

“Jim took us out to the desert, near the mines, to camp out one weekend. As we got closer to them I saw the string start to appear. I was so excited, I waited until Jim and Kyle fell asleep and followed the string as it became more and more red. I found your eggs -”

“Pods.”

Alex chuckles. “Pods, sorry. I saw the string go right to yours. I didn’t understand. I tried to talk to you. To get you to come out. I had to leave eventually but I begged Jim to take us out there every chance he could. It wasn’t until I was seven that I realized you were gone.”

“Alex. Why didn’t you say anything before?”

“I don’t know. It seemed silly at the time. Like I imagined it or something.”

“You didn’t.” Michael chuckles at the thought of a five year old Alex finding their pods and being so curious that he kept it to himself.

“I know we have a lot to work through, but I’m glad we are. I spent so long looking for you after that and when we finally met again at fourteen, I’ve never been as happy.” Alex says as he leans into Michael’s side.

“Me too.” Michael squeezes Alex’s hand and gets up to go to the kitchen. Normally when they separate the string gets lighter and lighter. Michael’s about to grab a water when he feels a tug on his left hand. He turns to look at Alex and he sees it.

“Our string.” Alex breathes out.

“It’s not disappearing.” Michael says a little awed. He rushes back to the couch and kisses Alex, full of joy and laughter.

**~~~**

When they wake up in the morning, their string is wrapped around them like a pretzel, holding them together.


	33. voted most likely to run away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Michael Guerin Week - Day 3

“C’mon Michael. Please, please, please be my date.” Isobel whines at him for what feels like the millionth time.

“No.” Michael says irritated. Isobel flicks his ear. “Ow.”

“Oh that didn’t hurt.”

“I’m still not going to Prom with you, Izzy.”

Isobel pouts but he doesn’t care. He doesn’t want to go to Prom with his sister. Hell, he doesn’t even want to _go_ to Prom, but she’s making him.

He hears shouting and he turns to see Alex Manes and Kyle Valenti screaming at each other. Michael _really_ hates Valenti and his band of misfits.

He’s about to turn back towards Isobel when he sees Alex start to swing at Kyle and before he can stop himself he’s up on his feet and opening his mouth.

“Hey Alex!”

Alex pauses and turns, scowl firmly in place, but to Michael he’s never been more gorgeous.

“What Guerin?”

“Go to Prom with me?” Michael asks him in front of everyone. As far as Promposals go it isn’t the best but if the way Alex is smiling is any indication that he did okay, he’ll take it.

Alex strides up to him and kisses him firmly on the mouth as he grabs his shirt in his fists before pulling away, winking, and walking towards the parking lot.

“I’ll take that as a yes?” Michael calls after him. He can hear Alex’s chuckle and he smiles. He turns back to Isobel and sees her mouth has dropped open.

“Sorry Izzy, I can’t go to Prom with you. I’m taking my boyfriend.”


	34. chemistry ‘til it blows up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Michael Guerin Week - Day 4

“There’s only one bed. He totally did this on purpose.”

“It’s fine. We’re adults, Guerin.”

“This is like a young adult novel come to life.”

“You read?”

Michael turns to scowl at Kyle. Never again will he let Alex book them a hotel room. Asshole knew what he was doing. All because Alex couldn’t come on this trip with them, begging off with a doctor appointment. So here he was, tracking down an alien artifact with Kyle Valenti.

“I’ll sleep on the floor.” Michael says as he drops his backpack.

“Don’t be ridiculous. We can share.”

“I’ve slept in worse places.”

“Michael.”

Michael sighs and strips down to his briefs. “Fine.” He complains as he gets under the covers. Kyle scoffs and gets ready for bed, only laying down when all the lights are turned off and their alarms are set.

Michael stares at the ceiling, willing his brain to quiet down so he can get some sleep when he feels the bed dip. Kyle’s tossing and turning, like he can’t get comfortable, and it goes on for what feels like forever.

“Kyle.” Michael growls when it becomes apparent that Kyle isn’t relaxing anytime soon.

“Sorry.” Kyle breathes out. Michael shifts so he’s lying on his side facing Kyle as he watches Kyle do the same.

“The guy Alex is dating is annoying right?”

Michael startles at Kyle’s question, especially considering Kyle introduced them.

“You introduced them!”

“I know, but he’s such a Chad.”

“Kyle, his name is _literally_ Chad.”

“I know. I just -”

“Wanna talk about it?” Michael asks quietly.

“Do I have too?”

“No.” Michael grabs Kyle’s shoulders and slams their mouths together. Kyle pauses for a second and then he’s kissing him back, all tongue and teeth. Michael wraps his arms behind Kyle’s back and pulls Kyle on top of him.

Just as they settle skin to skin, Michael looks into Kyle’s eyes and Kyle smirks as he leans down to nip at Michael’s kiss swollen lips.

“You were right. He totally did this on purpose.”


	35. wanna be felt by you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 to 'ultraviolet morning light - chapter 25'
> 
> Michael Guerin Week - Day 5

Michael hits send on his most recent ‘Torture Kyle with Sex Toys’ text and smiles to himself. He’s pretty proud of the anal beads that he sent him this time. So far he’s sent some vibrators, butt plugs, and most memorably, a cock ring. Fucking with Kyle is just so much fun.

His phone rings not a minute later and he smirks.

“What’s up Doc?”

“Guerin.” Kyle hisses through the phone. “Stop sending me links for sex toys. I am at work.”

“So am I.”

“I’m a surgeon.”

“And I’m elbow _deep_ in a really _throaty_ engine.”

Michael chuckles at the deep breath Kyle takes.

“I just figured I could help you out. You know. Show you the _ropes_.”

“Oh Michael. Isobel has such a _wide_ selection of toys to choose from. I don’t need your help -”

Before Michael can even voice his protest and put a stop to this conversation, Kyle continues.

“ - plus what do you think we do with all those _empty_ rooms in her _big_ house?”

Michael is pretty sure he squeaks. He’s also not sure that sound has ever left his mouth before. Kyle chuckles and presses on.

“I’ll let you in on a _little_ secret. We painted the office red and we kept the desk. _”_

 


	36. soulmates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt fill for @female-overlord-3 
> 
> Soulmates Prompt #11. You have half a tattoo, the other half which your soulmate has - your tattoo completes itself when the two of you meet.

Michael is born with a weird shape on his wrist and nobody knows what it is. Both his mother and his father take him to their healers to find out about the strange black marking that looks like an incomplete drawing, but none of them can figure it out.

Everyone passes it off as a birthmark but Michael knows better. He spends his entire life researching the mark, until finally convincing his father, the General of Antar, to invite humans to their planet.

Michael is eighteen when his father announces that a ship containing humans, from a planet called Earth, will be on Antar within the next two weeks. Michael’s never been more excited to meet them. He’s fascinated with Earth’s culture, fascinated with their technology, and particularly fascinated with soul marks.

He’s pretty sure he has a soul mark and he’s hoping that his soulmate is on the ship from Earth. He’s also pretty sure that his half of the soul mark is the back end of a pickup truck.

As the humans ship is docking his wrist starts burning. He looks down and watches in awe as the black lined image on his wrist starts turning light blue. It’s still incomplete, but with it being colored, he’s now more certain than ever that he has a soulmate and his soulmate is from Earth.

As the humans file off the ship one by one, Michael becomes more and more anxious. His wrist is burning again and he starts bouncing on the balls of his feet.

“Michael. You need to behave.” Rath, his father, says to him.

“Father, look. It’s changing. I told you.” Michael says as he holds his wrist out for his father to see. His father quirks an eyebrow in the most infuriating way, if only because Michael does the same thing, and then sighs.

“Alright my boy. Patience.”

Michael nods and starts scanning the sea of people that have descended on their planet. Earth’s best and brightest, according to the Council. He catches the eye of a man about his age, with brown floppy hair, deep brown eyes, and a smile Michael is pretty sure he’s already lost in. His wrist is on fire and he can see the rest of the truck starting to take shape, and he notices the man holding his own wrist in return.

His father also notices and calls for the man to come forward.

“Alex Manes. Coding. Step forward.” Rath says in his _General_ voice.

“General. Sir.” Alex says in the most beautiful voice Michael has ever heard.

“I wanted you to meet my son, Michael. You’ll be shadowing him while you are here.” Rath says to Alex and Michael holds out his hand.

The minute their hands touch, Michael gasps and Alex does the same. The feeling coursing through him is nothing short of euphoric. When they finally pull apart he looks down at his wrist and sees the completed imagine of a blue pickup truck. The same image is inked on Alex’s skin as well.

“Hi.” Michael says quietly, still in awe of his feelings and this beautiful man that is his soulmate.

“Hi.” Alex says in return as he places his hand over Michael’s wrist.

In the few moments since they’ve met they’ve gravitated towards each other and are almost entirely touching from head to toe. They’re interrupted by Rath, who has a gleam in his eyes but a smile on his face.

“Welcome to the Royal Family, Alex.”


	37. there’s a dazzling haze

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Michael Guerin Week - Day 6

Michael’s never been on a plane before and he’s kinda freaking out. For someone who’s building a rocket ship he probably shouldn’t be scared, but he is.

He fiddles with the ring on his right hand, twisting it and turning it, while trying not to replay the phone conversation that led him here over and over in his head.

“He’ll be okay.” Kyle reassures him but Michael doesn’t believe him.

“You don’t know that.”

“I do, actually. He was awake and asking for you.”

Michael just keeps fidgeting and finally Kyle places his hand on Michael’s leg.

“I’m sorry.” Michael says quietly.

“Hey. I get it. If this was Isobel I’d be freaking out.”

Michael laughs at Kyle’s accurate assessment of how he’d be if his wife was hurt.

When they finally land and make it to the hospital the first person Michael sees is Alex’s brother Hunter.

“Hunter.” Michael breathes out as he hugs him.

“He’s okay.” Hunter says as he turns to bring them both inside.

He barely makes it into Alex’s room before he’s crying.

“Hey Private.”

“Michael.” Alex gasps and makes grabby hands for him. Michael realizes he must be on a ton of pain medication because he only ever reaches for Michael like this if he’s sick and they’re alone. Michael is, after all, his very own personal alien space heater.

Michael practically lays his entire body down on the hospital bed next to Alex and grabs his hands.

“Hey darlin’.”

Michael can feel Alex carding his fingers through his curls, and he knows he should be the one comforting Alex. Alex, who was in another country yesterday, and who is now missing part of his right leg. But he can’t bring himself to stop crying. He vaguely hears Kyle and Hunter leave the room and he just holds Alex tighter.

“I’m okay, Michael. I have mandated therapy and months of physical therapy, but I’m okay.”

“I know, I know, it’s just -”

“Yeah.”

Michael lifts his head and kisses him. “You’ll be home soon.”

“Oh Cowboy. I already am.”


	38. we’d still worship this love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Michael Guerin Week - Day 7

“How the hell did you know I was even here?” Michael growls at Kyle as he’s dragged outside.

“My mom called me.”

“Jesus. I’m not even drunk anymore. I can take myself home.”

“Just get in the car.” Kyle opens the passenger door to his Beamer and shoves Michael inside.

“Thought you didn’t want me to get your precious car dirty?” Michael snarks.

“Good thing you’re the only one who details cars in this town.”

Michael groans as he lays his head back and closes his eyes. He loses track of time and finally opens his eyes when Kyle stops the car.

“No.”

“C’mon man. You haven’t seen him since we put him in the pod.”

“I’m not going in there.”

“Michael.” Kyle says quietly and Michael hates it. “You spend your days in the lab with Liz and your nights drinking. You haven’t dealt with this.”

“I don’t need to _deal_ with Max being dead. I just need to figure out how to wake him up.”

“Maybe getting some stuff off of your chest will help. You’re so angry at him and not just from him bringing back Rosa.”

“Isobel should learn when to keep her mouth shut.” Michael snaps and Kyle looks so disappointed in him.

Michael begrudgingly gets out of the car, ignoring Kyle saying he’ll be back in an hour, and makes his way into the cave.

The pods call to him as soon as he’s close and he realizes that this is the longest he’s gone without seeing them since he came back to Roswell as a kid.

He sits down harshly in the dirt in front of Max’s pod. He stares at Max for a moment before he feels the first set of tears fall.

He cries. He cries for all the pain he suffered when the twins ignored their bond. He cries for Max letting him take the blame for Noah’s crimes. He cries for ten years of missed moments with his brother. He cries and he screams at Max for healing his hand, his one tether to Alex. He yells at Max for bringing Rosa back, even though he kind of likes her. He cries for Liz, for Isobel, for himself, for missing Max.

He only realizes that he’s been here for an hour when he hears footsteps on the gravel. As soon as he registers the other person, he knows it’s not Valenti. The air feels charged in a way it only does when it’s the two of them.

He feels a hand on his shoulder, a warm presence, in his otherwise empty self. It’s been months since they’ve seen each other. Only texting here and there, and mostly updates on how to save Max.

He looks up into eyes that hold everything and he says his name like a prayer.

“ _Alex_.”


	39. look through the windows of this love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For @bestillmyslashyheart who asked for Soulmate Prompt #13. Your chest glows as you get closer to your soulmate.

Jim will never bring Kyle here, that much he knows. Caulfield is a horrendous place. He’s always wondering why Jesse brings his boys, but he doesn’t have the heart to ask him. Jesse’s youngest, Alex, who just turned sixteen, has been coming here since he was seven. Alex has taken to the three prisoners that are close to his age, that have been in captivity here since they hatched out of their pods when they were around seven.

Alex always seems to be talking to the boy with curly hair, the one they’ve named Michael, Jim’s one attempt to make this a little more humane.

He doesn’t know why he didn’t notice sooner. He almost wishes he had. Michael wears the dark gray prison uniform and Alex is mostly in black. Until one day he isn’t and Jim sees it. The blue glow seeping through his shirt, outlining the veins in his chest.

“Shit.” Jim mumbles as he walks over to where Alex is talking to Michael through his glass cell window.

“Alex.” Jim grabs Alex’s arm and pushes him into the cell with Michael. “What were you thinking?”

“What? Jim, what are you doing?” Alex asks as he twists in Jim’s hold. Michael makes a wounded noise as he crouches in the corner.

“We weren’t doing anything, sir.” Michael says quietly and Jim really wants to bang his head against the wall for scaring the boys.

“Alex. Look.” Jim points to his chest and Alex looks down at his light colored shirt and over to Michael and back to Jim.

“Shit.”

Jim can’t help it, he laughs. “Yeah. Shit is right kid. When did you two figure it out? And take my jacket please.” Jim hands over his jacket and Alex puts it on and zips it up.

“When we were seven.” Michael says quietly and Alex looks completely besotted. Alex starts towards Michael but he pauses and turns to Jim, who’s really glad it’s late and only the night shift is working and the cells don’t have cameras because he nods his head.

Alex walks over to Michael and grabs his hand. The second they touch both of their chests turn bright pink and then settle into the warm purple that most soulmates have. Jim’s heart aches for them, to have known they were soulmates for nine years and not completed the bond, it must’ve been agony.

“We have to get them out of here.” Alex turns to him with a look of pure determination in his eyes.

“I know.” Jim says resigned. _Shit_.

“Do Max and Isobel glow, too?” Jim asks them even though he doesn’t want to know the answer.

“Only once, sir.” Michael answers quietly.

“And when was that?” Jim asks them both but Alex turns away from him.

“Alex?”

“When I snuck Liz and Kyle in to visit last year.” Alex says after a moment.

“Shit.”


	40. make confessions and we’re begging for forgiveness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For @bestillmyslashyheart who asked for Soulmate Prompt #18. You and your soulmate can communicate telepathically but you cannot tell them your name or your location until you’ve met them.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Drew asks him as he moves his hand over the center console to twine their fingers together.

“Yes. It’ll be good to be back. Plus, Isobel and Kyle would kill us if we missed their wedding.” Alex chuckles as he remembers the scathing phone call from Isobel that he is to be present for their wedding.

“Well they were at ours.” Alex squeezes Drew’s hand as he lets the desert landscape wash over him.

Four years. It’s been four years since he left Roswell. Four years since he’s been to his cabin. Four years since he’s seen…no, he isn’t going there.

The drive passes in no time, and soon enough, Los Angeles is behind them and the cabin he called home four years ago is in front of him. Before Drew shuts the engine, Isobel and Kyle are coming down the steps of the front porch.

“You’re here!” Isobel says as she hugs him tightly and he can hear Kyle greeting Drew the same way.

“I said we’d be here.” Alex says as he hugs Kyle.

“I’ve got the grill heating up. Drew come help me. Alex can get your bags.” Kyle says as he gives Alex a knowing look and pulls Drew towards the cabin. Alex is thankful Kyle has kept it livable while he’s been gone.

“Your fiancé is not subtle.” Alex says to Isobel as he opens the trunk to grab their bags.

“I wanted to talk to you alone.” Isobel smirks. “Plus, it’s my wedding weekend, so we can talk about whatever I want.”

“Isobel.” Alex warns.

“What?” She asks innocently. “You forbid us from talking about him when we visit you. You forbid Max and Liz from talking about him -”

“That’s because when they visit I get to watch Artie.” Alex interjects and Isobel raises an eyebrow.

“He’ll be at my wedding.” She says knowingly.

“I know Isobel. And we’ll be civil.”

“They broke up you know. About six months after you left. It’s been four years, can’t you two at least talk?”

“I’m trying not to be offended that you want me to speak to my ex, when my husband is inside.”

Isobel looks successfully chastened and Alex sighs. “Look, Is, it’s not that I don’t want to talk about him, but I only have to see him for your rehearsal and your wedding, then we can go back to blissfully ignoring each other while we live in separate states.”

She looks at him, really looks at him and then nods her head once as she walks inside the cabin. Alex shakes his head️, this is going to be a long weekend.

**~~~**

Alex successfully manages to avoid Michael during the rehearsal and the actual wedding.

It isn’t until the reception, when he steps out onto the terrace after giving his Best Man speech that Michael approaches him.

“Hey, Private.” Michael drawls as he leans against the railing next to Alex.

“Hey.” Alex says in return. The silence stretches and Alex shifts on his feet to take some weight off of his prosthetic.

“Your husband is nice.”

“You met him?”

“Isobel introduced us. Plus, it’s not like I didn’t know what was going on with my own family, when they go visit you.”

“Michael.”

“Nah, it’s all good.”

“There you are!” Alex and Michael turn to look at the newcomer and Alex notices Michael’s smile.

“Hey. Sorry. Needed some air.” Michael says as he wraps a hand around the other man and leans forward to meet him for a kiss.

“Travis, meet Alex. Alex, Travis.” Michael says as he turns with Travis and Alex holds out his hand.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Alex says as he shakes his hand.

“You as well. Always nice to put a face to the name.”

Alex nods his head as he excuses himself. He finds Drew and walks up to him to settle into his side.

“Wanna dance?” Drew asks teasingly but Alex nods his head and lets himself be pulled onto the dance floor. He turns his head to look back outside and his eyes meet Michael’s.

He feels the bond in his head for the first time in over four years and he stumbles. Luckily Drew steadies him and they start swaying to the music. Alex hides his face in Drew’s shoulder as he hears Michael’s voice in his head.

_“Thank you. For being nice to Travis.”_

_“Thank you for being nice to Drew.”_

_“Alex. I.”_

_“Don’t.”_

_“But…”_

_“Please, Michael? I can’t.”_

Alex focuses back on the present, and he can feel Michael retreating from his mind, like a lovers caress as they walk away.

“I love you.” Alex hears and he doesn’t know if it’s said by Michael inside of his head, or by Drew out loud.

“I love you, too.” He answers all the same.


	41. every guitar string scar on my hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For @bestillmyslashyheart who asked for Soulmate Prompt #14. Whatever song your soulmate is listening to is stuck in your head.

**1997**

Alex is glad that Flint let him use his walkman to listen to music today. He hates coming to Caulfield with his dad and older brothers. He’s walking through the hallway when he hears a tapping against one of the glass cells. He turns and sees a boy his age, with curly hair and golden eyes. He walks over and that’s when he notices two other kids, a boy and a girl, in the cells next to the boy waving at him.

He walks over to the glass and puts his hand up to it. The boy copies him and fits his hand to his.

“Hi.” Alex says shyly. “I’m Alex.”

The other boy tilts his head and looks at Alex questioningly until he points to the headphones Alex is wearing.

“Oh. It’s a walkman. It plays music.” Alex says as he takes off the headphones and pauses the tape. He opens up the player to show the boy and smiles at the wonder on his face. The boy points to his ears again and Alex puts the headphones back on and presses play.

Third Eye Blind’s “Semi-Charmed Life” comes back on and he can see the boy mouthing the words even though he can’t hear the music.

_I want something else_

_To get me through this_

_Semi-charmed kind of life_

_I want something else_

_I’m not listening when you say_

_Good-bye_

Alex doesn’t think that the boy can speak but he clearly understands him. He pauses the music and the boy frowns.

“Can you hear the music?”

The boy looks at him and nods as he points to his head. Alex pauses. The only time he’s heard of someone hearing music that someone else is listening to is when they’re soulmates. Alex smiles as he sits down outside of the cell as the boy does the same. He presses play and watches as the boys eyes light up.

**2002**

Alex is lucky that no one pays any attention to him when he sits outside of Michael’s cell almost everyday after school. His dad thinks it’s great that he wants to join the family legacy but Alex just wants to see Michael.

“Hi.” Alex says as he sits down outside of Michael’s cell. He wishes, not for the first time, that he could touch Michael and hold his hand. Soulmates are all the rave at school, with people discovering who they match with and always talking about the songs they can hear. Alex wishes he could tell his friends about Michael but he knows he can’t.

“What are we listening to today?” Michael asks him as he leans against the glass.

Alex puts the headphones to his CD player on and let’s Avril Lavigne’s “Sk8er Boi” fill the speakers.

_He was a skater boy_

_She said, “see you later, boy”_

_He wasn’t good enough for her_

_She had a pretty face_

_But her head was up in space_

_She needed to come back down to earth_

Michael chuckles and Alex smiles.

“Does she wear all black too?” Michael asks him and Alex pretends to be offended.

“She skateboards.”

“Yeah? What’s that?” Michael asks and Alex feels a pain in his chest.

“It’s a board on wheels that you stand on. You use one leg to push off and then you can glide.”

Michael looks thoughtful for a moment. “Can you do that?”

“I’m not very good.”

“Do you think you could bring one here? So I can watch?”

Alex looks around at the guards who barely pay any attention to him. He thinks he can hide it in his backpack and his dad won’t even notice. He puts his hand up to the glass and waits for Michael to do the same.

“Yes.”

**2007**

Alex sits down on the floor outside of Michael’s cell as he shows Michael his iPod. They would be touching shoulder to shoulder if there wasn’t any glass between them. Alex physically aches for the day when there isn’t.

“Is that how you listen to so many different songs so quickly?” Michael asks as Alex shows him how the iPod works.

“Yeah. I’m sorry. I’ll try harder not to switch the songs so much when I’m listening at home.”

“Nah. Don’t worry about it. I don’t mind.” Michael touches the side of his head. “It makes me go quiet.”

Alex smiles soft and fond and nods his head. He looks around at Michael’s scarce room. He calls it a room because he can’t bear to think of it as a cell. The guards and scientists are fascinated with Michael, Max, and Isobel’s genius so they bribe them with books for experiments and even started tutoring them once they realized that all three of them taught themselves how to read and write.

“I’ll listen to more then.”

“Can you put some country music on there?”

Alex raises an eyebrow as Michael blushes. “The guards play it sometimes.”

“Sure.” Alex says as he smiles at the memories of hearing random country songs in his head from time to time.

“I like it when you sing and play your guitar too.”

“You can hear that?”

“Yeah.” Michael holds his hand up to the glass and Alex mirrors him.

“I’ll play some more for you. At night okay?” Alex knows that music helps Michael sleep. It seems to calm the chaos in both of their minds.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“What’s on the agenda today?” Michael asks as he gestures to the iPod.

“Oh you’re in for a treat.” Alex chuckles as Fall Out Boy’s “This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race” flows through the speakers of his headphones.

_That’s just the business I’m in_

_This ain’t a scene, it’s a goddamn arms race_

_This ain’t a scene, it’s a goddamn arms race_

_This ain’t a scene, it’s a goddamn arms race_

_I’m not a shoulder to cry on, but I digress_

_I’m a leading man and the lies I weave are oh so intricate_

Alex leans his forehead against the glass and Michael does the same. The song is fitting, almost too fitting, considering how he plans on getting them out of Caulfield with Jim Valenti’s help. He smiles at Michael, thinking of the day when he can share his headphones for real.

_Oh so intricate._


	42. stay

“If I left Roswell and I asked you to come with me, would you?”

“Alex.”

“Would you?”

“You can’t ask me that.” Michael whispers with tears in his eyes.

Alex’s eyes blaze. “Why not?”

“Because you should’ve asked me when you left the first time.”

“Would you have then?”

“Yes! No. I don’t know.”

“That’s what I thought.” Alex goes to turn away but Michael stops him.

“So that’s it? I don’t go with you and you’re just going to walk away?”

Alex shakes him off and Michael knows that look in his eyes. It’s the same look he had over ten years ago when he told Michael he was enlisting.

“I’m not walking away. I re-upped.”

“Why?”

“I can help you, help all of you, if I -”

“You just always have to go, don’t you?” Michael whispers, tired of the excuses. He looks back at the Wild Pony, where earlier Alex had walked in on him kissing some random girl.

“You’ve never asked me to stay.”


	43. ripped up my prom dress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For @bestillmyslashyheart who asked for a little Liz & Isobel bonding!

Isobel is swirling the straw around in her Little Green Man milkshake when Liz drops a basket of curly fries in front of her.

“Thanks?” Isobel questions.

“You don’t actually like that.” Liz points to the weirdly green milkshake. “It’s Max’s favorite.”

Isobel hums as she eats a curly fry and watches Liz do the same.

“Heard you bailed Michael out of jail.” Isobel raises an eyebrow at Liz.

“Heard you blew up all your pictures of Noah.” Liz quips back as she eats another fry. Isobel can’t help it, she laughs.

“I did. Lined them up like target practice. It was weirdly cathartic.”

“Target practice. I did that. With Jenna. She’s teaching me how to shoot.”

“Is she?” Isobel smirks. “She already taught me.”

“Isobel!” Liz hits her with a towel. “When did this happen?”

“Oh you know.” Isobel says coyly and Liz laughs.

“Good for you.”

“Thank you, for helping Michael.” Isobel says suddenly serious.

“Of course. I love him, too, you know?”

Isobel nods. “How did you even know he was in jail?”

“Maria called me. Said he got picked up for fighting some guy after he kissed said guys girlfriend. Honestly, I don’t know why Michael insists on being with Maria if he’s just going to make a fool out of himself.”

“I mean, have you seen her?”

“Isobel!”

“Okay, okay.” Isobel sighs. “I don’t know why he does what he does. Alex says he’s trying to cope with all the loss, but…”

“How is Alex?”

“Good. He’s taking me to self-defense classes. It helps.”

“That’s good. I’m glad you have someone.” Liz takes another curly fry and looks thoughtfully at Isobel.

“Well he gets it.”

“Gets what?”

“What it’s like to have lost Michael.” Isobel pauses as Liz’s breath catches. “Just like you get what it’s like to have lost Max.”


	44. wanna be king in your story

“Do you want to go over the files from the fifties?” Michael asks Alex as he shuts down his computer in the Project Shepard bunker.

“I can’t actually.” Alex says as he stands and grabs his backpack. There’s something in the way he says this that has Michael guessing.

“You got a hot date tonight, Private?” Michael drawls and he notices the tips of Alex’s ears turn pink.

“Oh? A first date?”

“No. It’s been a couple of dates.” Alex answers and Michael sees the hint of a smile.

“With who?”

Alex levels him with a look but he answers anyways.

“His name is Forest.”

“Like Forrest Gump?” Michael chuckles.

“No.”

“You totally asked him the same thing.” Michael sees Alex shrug and he smiles. “How did you two meet?”

“He’s a Doctor.”

“Yeah? Valenti introduce you?”

“No. Uh. He’s the Vet.” At Michael’s confused look, Alex continues. “The Veterinarian I take Wentz to.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

Michael crowds closer to Alex and gets some satisfaction in the way his breath catches.

“Does he make your insides all gooey? Does he make your cheeks go warm?” Michael asks as he leans into Alex’s space. He can feel Alex’s breath on his cheek. “Does he -”

Before he can finish, Alex playfully shoves him away so he can turn towards the door, but not before Michael sees him discreetly adjust himself. Michael smirks.

Alex turns back around and raises one of his infuriatingly beautiful eyebrows.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”


	45. Angst/fluff prompt: 67

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt fill for @allthehearteyes 
> 
> Angst/fluff prompt: 67. “I’m right where I belong.”

“What is wrong with you?!”

“Me?” Michael asks him incredulously.

“Yes you!” Alex looks at Michael and he really can’t even imagine how they ended up here.

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Didn’t do anything?! You just made a huge scene! And all because I brought my boyfriend to the Pony!”

Michael scoffs and Alex sees red.

“Why can’t you just be happy for me?! You moved on. Why can’t I?!”

Michael looks at him, really looks at him, and Alex pauses.

“I didn’t move on.” Michael says quietly.

“What?”

“I didn’t move on.”

“You have a girlfriend!” Alex yells. Now he’s pissed. “Who deserves a hell of a lot better than this.”

“I know. I know. But - ”

“But what?”

Michael looks sheepish. “I guess I thought…”

“Thought what? C’mon.”

“Thought we’d always find our way back to each other.”

Alex sighs, long and low. “Maybe. Maybe someday we will. But, Michael - ”

Michael looks up at him, hopeful, and a little shy.

“Right now, **I’m right where I belong.** ”


	46. you’ve got that power over me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alex has a telekinesis kink

“Guerin, have you seen that file from Caulfield, the one with the - ”

Alex is cut off by the file smacking into his hand. He looks up startled and then realizes that Michael used his telekinesis to send him the file. He smiles.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” Michael smiles in return and goes back to his laptop.

**~~~**

“Shit.” Alex keeps pushing papers around on his desk. “Shit. Shit. Shit.” He pats his pockets again, but he only finds his wallet and his keys.

“Looking for something, Private?” Michael drawls and Alex looks up he sees his phone hovering in front of his face. He grabs it and feels the gentle caress of Michael’s power retreating.

Alex laughs, delighted, and Michael chuckles with him.

“Thank you.” Alex says breathless. “You’re a lifesaver.”

“I do what I can.” Michael answers and Alex can see the slight blush on his cheeks.

**~~~**

“Incoming!” Michael shouts as he walks into the Project Shepard bunker.

“Woah.” Alex grabs the floating milkshake and fast food bags out of the air. “What’s all this?”

“Lunch.”

“For an army?” Alex jokes as he takes in the multiple bags of food as he munches on a curly fry.

“I couldn’t decide what I wanted.” Michael shrugs sheepishly. Alex laughs and goes to grab a burger but it floats away from him before he can.

“That one’s mine.”

**~~~**

“Why did Kyle want to have his birthday party at my cabin?” Alex groans as he drops the last lawn chair around his makeshift fire pit.

“Because he wanted a bonfire.” Michael quips and Alex sighs.

“I do not want to bring all the firewood over here.” Alex slumps into one of the chairs.

“I can do it.” Michael says as Alex sees the logs floating one by one towards them. The last couple are placed on the already burning fire. Alex can almost see Michael’s power moving around the fire as the flames get bigger.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

**~~~**

Alex trips going up the stairs but before he can fall a warm pulse is grabbing him and pulling him upright. It stays wrapped around him until Michael gets close enough to check him over. He misses it when it’s gone.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Missed a step.” Alex rubs at his right leg. “Does it always feel like that?”

“Does what always feel like that?”

“Your power.” At Michael’s confused look, Alex continues. “It’s warm.”

Michael blushes. “I’ve never - ”

“Never what?”

“Never used them around people who weren’t Max and Isobel before. Not like this.” Michael reaches up to run a hand along the back of his neck. A sign that he’s nervous.

“Never?”

“No. I mean, I use it casually around Liz sometimes, but never as much as with you.”

Alex preens. He knew Michael was using them more than necessary, but he thought it was a way to make himself stronger. Not that he was showing off for Alex.

“You were showing off.”

“What? No I wasn’t.” Michael’s argument falls short when Alex sees the slightly pink blush turn almost beet red.

Alex walks closer to Michael and reaches a hand out to place on his chest. “I like them.”

“You do?” Michael asks hopefully.

“Of course. They’re a part of you.”

Michael’s face goes soft and fond. This is the closest they’ve been in months, as they have been trying to rebuild the foundations of the relationship.

Alex feels the weight of Michael’s powers against his back and soon they’re wrapped in a cocoon of them. It feels like a weighted blanket and it settles something in his chest.

Alex looks up into Michael’s shiny eyes and smiles.

“I love every part of you.” Alex whispers and he feels the cocoon of warmth tighten around him before Michael kisses him senseless.


	47. shiny toy with a price

“Thank you for coming with me.” Maria says to him as he leans back in the passenger seat.

Alex notices she’s gripping the steering wheel, and he wonders when things got so bad between them, that now even months after she broke it off with Michael, and with him dating someone else, that they can’t even sit in her truck together.

“Of course. It’s for Mimi.” Alex says almost as an afterthought. After months of sifting through the data from Caulfield, Alex thinks he found another survivor from the 1947 crash. One that Jim Valenti knew about, that he helped save, who has healing capabilities.

Maria nods at him and continues driving. Alex thinks about saying something, _anything_ , to kill the awkward silence, when he hears Maria curse and looks up to see smoke coming from the hood of her truck.

“Shit.” Maria pulls the truck over and Alex looks around at the miles and miles of desert and swears himself.

“Guess we should call Michael.” Alex says as he fiddles with his phone.

“He won’t answer.” Maria says as she texts someone. Alex makes a questioning noise.

“He never answers.” Maria clarifies as she curses at her phone. She gets out of the truck in a huff and puts her phone to her ear. Alex is sure he hears something like ‘tell your brother to answer his phone’ but he ignores it and dials.

“Hey.” Alex says quietly when Michael picks up.

“Private.” Michael drawls. “Lemme guess. Maria’s truck broke down?”

“How did you?”

“She hasn’t brought it to me in weeks.” Michael chuckles when Alex clucks his tongue. “You two _would_ be the most stubborn people on this planet.”

“So can you tell me how to fix it?”

“It needs water for now. But tell her she has to bring it in.”

“I will.” Alex says as he grabs water and pops the hood.

“Alex - ”

“Mmm.” Alex pours the water and waits for Michael to speak.

“Thank you.” Michael says quietly. Although what it’s for is a mystery. It could be that Alex is still looking into Project Shephard. It could be that he’s finally mending things with Maria. It could be that he and Michael have some semblance of a friendship now. Regardless, he answers all the same.

“You’re welcome.” Alex hangs up just as Maria ends her own call.

“Michael says you need to bring your truck in.” Alex says as Maria walks back over.

“He what? Of course he answers for you.” Maria cracks a smile as she shakes her head.

“Give it a try.” Alex points his head towards the ignition. Just as Maria is about to turn the key, another truck pulls up behind them. Alex stiffens and puts his hand instinctively on his gun.

“Maria.” He whispers as she backs up towards Alex just as a man gets out of the other truck and walks towards them.

“Howdy.” The stranger says in a fake Texas accent. He has bleach blonde hair and manic eyes. Alex grabs Maria with his other hand and pulls her closer.

The man smiles with all teeth, more frightening than friendly.

“Y’all look lost.”


	48. never could imagine the way the story happened

Alex turns away from the desk at the sound of the bunker’s door opening and smiles when he sees it’s Michael.

“Hey.”

“Hey yourself.” Michael says as he hands Alex a cup of coffee.

“Thanks.” Alex groans as he takes a sip. “I didn’t know you liked Beam Me Up.”

“I uh - ”

Alex looks up at Michael’s stammering and notices that he’s blushing.

“Guerin.” Alex smirks at Michael’s startled look. “Is there someone you like at Beam Me Up?”

“What? No.”

“C’mon spill.”

“It’s just. Well…” Michael rubs the back of his neck and smiles shyly. “There might be someone.”

“Do tell.” Alex says as he leans back in his chair. He’s happy that they’re at a place now where they can talk about this. It was rough there, for a while. After Michael dated Maria, and another woman named Candy, but now, Alex can genuinely say they’re friends.

“He’s uh…he’s the first person I came out to.” At Alex’s surprised expression, he continues. “Besides you, I mean.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I mean, everyone pretty much figured it out and Maria told Liz, so…”

“I’m sorry, Michael.”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not.” Alex says vehemently and reaches out to place a hand on Michael’s knee. “So. Tell me about him.”

Michael smiles. “Well, he recently moved here. And we’ve just been talking. He doesn’t work there or anything but we seem to go at the same time. He’s shorter than me.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, it’s a little weird.”

“You do like them taller.” Alex comments absentmindedly.

“Hey! You’re like, an inch taller.” Michael kicks Alex’s chair and Alex just raises an eyebrow, pleased that he can still make Michael blush.

“You like being taller.” Michael grumbles.

“You’re just saying that.”

“You’re taller than Valenti.” Michael shoots back and now it’s Alex’s turn to blush. He hears Michael’s huff of triumph as he smiles at the memory of Kyle finally kissing him last week. He doesn’t register Michael’s talking until he hears the words he never wanted to hear.

“- Max is going to be pissed. I can’t wait.” Michael finishes and Alex has a sinking feeling he knows who Michael’s mystery date is.

“What did you say his name was again?”

“Oh.” Michael blushes and Alex’s heart drops. “His name is Forest.”


	49. lost in translation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt fill for @daffietjuh: Lost in translation.

“You two are idiots!” Isobel exclaims as she looks at Michael and Alex.

“What?!” They squeak in unison.

“I mean.” She goes on like she didn’t hear them. “I mean you -” She points to Alex. “Left him behind when you joined the Air Force, because you thought it would keep him safe.”

“And you -.” She points to Michael. “Thought he left you behind because he didn’t love you. I mean it’s no wonder we’re here.”

“Uh, Isobel? It’s our Rehearsal Dinner.”

“Yes exactly!”

“Iz. You aren’t making any sense.” Michael says.

“Yes I am. It took you thirteen years to get here. For literally no reason!”

“There were reasons.” Alex grumbles.

“Yeah. Dumb ones.”

“Izzy. C’mon.”

“Ugh, fine. I won’t say that for my speech.”

“Thank you.” Michael says and leans up to kiss her cheek.

“But everything else is fair game!” She shouts after them and they startle and give her slightly terrified looks as she taps her head.

“Isobel.”

“Izzy!”

“Now, where did I put those pictures?”


	50. take me out and take me home

“C’mon Alex. Please?” Kyle asks him one more time and sighs as Alex takes another sip of his milkshake and steals a curly fry.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t want to go to a fundraiser with you.”

“But dude. I need a date.”

Alex raises one of his eyebrows infuriatingly, just like when they were kids, and Kyle rolls his eyes.

“So. Find a date.”

“Can’t you just come?”

“Well yeah. But not with you.” Alex smirks and Kyle throws a fry at him.

“Hey!” Alex steals another fry and feigns outrage.

“Pretty please?”

“No. I have plans anyways.”

“Doing what?” Kyle presses.

“Buffy and I have a date.”

“She’s your dog.”

“Yeah, so? We’re having a dinner guest.”

“Wait, seriously? Who?”

Alex smiles his ‘Michael Guerin’ smile and Kyle smirks.

“Guerin finally ask you out?”

“How do you know I didn’t ask him?”

It’s Kyle’s turn to raise an eyebrow and Alex blushes.

“Alright. So I was being stubborn. But yes, he did, and I invited him over for dinner.”

“I’m happy for you.” Kyle smiles. “But I still need a date for this fundraiser.”

“I’ll go with you.” Kyle and Alex both turn their heads towards the new voice. Kyle startles when he notices how beautiful the mystery woman is.

“What?” Kyle says dumbly and Alex snickers. The woman walks closer to their table.

“To your fundraiser. I’ll go with you.” She says as she holds out her hand.

“Kyle.” He responds as he shakes her hand. Her touch is electric and when she smiles Kyle knows he’s a goner.

“Steph.”


	51. each scar is an artifact we can’t take back

“Hey.”

Michael startles and looks up at Alex as he slides into the booth across from him.

“Kyle called you?”

“He did.” Alex says and Michael finds that he isn’t even mad.

“I’ll apologize to him later.” Michael looks down at his left hand as Alex takes it in his own. He forgot to put the bandana back on after he left Kyle’s. It’s the first time in months that he’s been in public without it.

“You don’t need to apologize to him.” Alex gives his hand a squeeze and then let’s go. Michael misses the warmth immediately. He never questions why Alex is the only one who he lets touch it unprompted. A fact that Kyle had to work around when he was showing his friend where to place the tattoo scars.

“It’s just. He brought his friend here to help me and I freaked.”

“He understands - ”

“And I know his friend helps people. Tattooing over scars and tattooing on nipples. But I - ”

“Hey.” Alex says soothingly and grabs his hand again. “You don’t have to explain.”

Michael nods and tries to stop himself from reaching across the table and burrowing into Alex’s arms. They’re friends, and Michael will admit that Alex is his best friend, but it took so long to get here that he doesn’t want to ruin it.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Alex’s eyes light up like they do when he gets an idea and Michael smiles. “Can you draw your symbol from memory?”

“Uh, you mean Max’s tattoo? Yeah.”

Alex nods and Michael takes a napkin and the pen from a waitress and draws out the symbol. Or map, really, if Noah was correct. Once he finishes he goes to give it to Alex, but Alex is up out of his seat and dragging Michael out of the Crashdown.

“Where are we going?” Michael laughs as he lets Alex drag him down the street.

“You’ll see.” Alex says and then abruptly stops. Michael looks up and sees the tattoo shop.

“What are we doing here?” Michael asks Alex.

“I want a tattoo.” Alex shrugs and takes the napkin from him.

“Of the map to my home planet?” Michael asks him incredulously.

Alex closes the distance between them and Michael can feel Alex’s breath on his face. Alex leans impossibly closer and presses his lips to Michael’s in what has to be the sweetest kiss they’ve ever shared. Michael opens his mouth and deepens the kiss. He groans when he feels Alex’s fingers playing with his curls. They haven’t kissed in so long, and Michael has missed this.

They pull apart when the need to breathe becomes too much and Alex laughs breathlessly against his lips.

“No sweetheart.” Alex smiles and answers Michael’s earlier question. “I’m not getting the map to your home planet. I’m getting a tattoo of the map that led me to you.”

Alex kisses him one last time and then goes into the shop, leaving Michael outside.

It only takes Michael a second and then he’s following Alex.

He knows what tattoo he’s getting, too.


	52. the only thing we share is this small town

Michael looks around the Wild Pony and sighs. He’s glad Maria finally let him back in after their failed attempt at a relationship, but it doesn’t quite feel the same.

He swivels in his chair and barely has a chance to make out Alex coming through the front door with someone else before he turns back to the bar and takes a large sip of his drink.

He registers Maria and Liz coming towards him, but honestly, he just wants to go home.

He can tell they’re making small talk and he nods when Maria pours him a shot. He puts his head down and reaches for his wallet when he feels a hand on his arm.

“Michael?” Alex says a little forcefully and it’s loud enough that Michael turns around on his stool and gapes at him.

“Sorry. I’ve said your name about five times. I wanted to introduce you.” Alex gestures to the man standing next to him and Michael finally gets a good look at him. He’s hot, if he’s being objective. He has blue hair tied up in a man bun, a leather jacket, and an attitude to match. Michael hates him.

“This is Forest.” Alex says as he nods his head towards the man. “Forest this is Michael.”

“Nice to finally put a face to the name.” Forest says as he holds out his hand. Even his voice is annoying.

Michael holds out his hand to shake his and nods his head. He doesn’t breathe again until Alex and Forest walk away with their drinks.

“What the hell was that Guerin?” Maria glares at him.

“Yeah, Mikey. I thought you two were better?” Liz asks tentatively, referring to his and Alex’s budding friendship.

“We are.”

“So you just…didn’t hear him calling your name?” Maria asks him incredulously, like Michael purposefully ignored Alex. Like that would _ever_ happen.

Michael looks at both of them, the two people in his life he considers his friends, and tells them the truth.

“Alex has never said my name before.” Michael shrugs and downs the rest of his drink. “I didn’t know he was talking to me.”


	53. something gave you the nerve

“C’mon honey. You can pick one. Max and Isobel did.” The lady at the Group Home says to him. He looks over at Max and Isobel and feels Isobel nudge his mind gently.

He doesn’t want to pick a name. He has a name. And he knows that Max and Isobel do too, if only he could remember, because calling them Max and Isobel seems wrong.

He shakes his head and the women, Mrs. Manes, sighs and leaves the list of names on the table in front of him.

“I know you can read the list.” Mrs. Manes says as she points to the names. “You’re almost too smart to be seven.”

Seven. That’s the age they think the three of them are. But that seems wrong, too.

He picks up a crayon and draws the letter ‘M’ on the page. He knows it means something. He just can’t remember the rest of the letters.

“M. Okay let me see if I can find some ‘M’ names for you.” Mrs. Manes grabs a notebook and walks over to her desk.

“Michael!” A young boy with brown hair and brown eyes says to him. He tilts his head sideways, curls falling in his eyes, as he looks at the boy.

“You should pick ‘Michael’. It’s a good name.”

“Alex.” Mrs. Manes, who looks just like the boy, Alex, says. “You can’t just pick his name for him sweetie. Remember you’re supposed to do your homework while I’m working.”

“But Mama.”

“No buts, young man.”

“Fine.” Alex grumbles as he walks over to the table Michael is sitting at. He pulls out paper and a pen and writes out the name Michael.

“See.” Alex says as he turns the paper towards him. He traces the letters and he likes how they curve. And he really likes that Alex likes the name.

“Yeah?” Michael asks tentatively and Alex smiles a huge toothless smile at him.

“Okay.” Michael says as he tries to write out the name himself. He says it in his head a few times and finds that he likes it, too. And it starts with the letter ‘M’ just like Max and like the name he can’t remember.

“See! Easy.” Alex says as Michael writes his new name a few times. He can see Mrs. Manes smiling at them and he can hear an echo of Isobel in his head saying his new name and he likes how it sounds.

“Thank you, Alex.” Michael says quietly. Alex smiles at him, and Michael knows that Alex is someone special.

“You’re welcome, Michael.”

**~~~**

He’s brought out of his daydream by Maria saying his name.

“Guerin?”

“Alex picked it.” Michael says as he takes a swig of his beer.

“What?” Liz asks and Michael looks around at everyone he’s come to call family in the year it took to bring Max back. They gather every week at Isobel’s for dinner and somehow, this week, Maria had asked how the three of them picked their names.

“My mom used to work at the group home.” Alex mumbles quietly but he smiles at Michael. “Max and Isobel had already picked their names but Michael just kept writing the letter ‘M’.”

Michael smiles at the memory and now knowing that his mother’s name was Mara he’s even more glad he has a name that starts with ‘M’.

“So you picked Michael for him?” Maria asks incredulously, like she can’t believe them.

“Yeah.” Alex shrugs and tilts his head at Michael. Michael nods back and smiles. He reaches for Alex’s hand under the table and squeezes, pleased with the light blush sitting high on Alex’s cheek. They aren’t together, yet, but they’re getting there.

“And you just let him?” Liz asks him, looking equally amused and suspicious. Michael takes a look around again at his family and answers with a smile.

“Yeah.”


	54. under cover of darkness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt fill for @acomebackstory. B. Under cover of darkness.

Kyle pulls his jacket closer around him and swears for what feels like the hundredth time today.

“Isobel. Where are you taking me?” He asks her as she drags him further and further into the desert.

“You’ll see.” Isobel sing songs as she keeps walking at a ridiculously fast pace. Kyle is in shape, but Isobel is all legs, and if he wasn’t so cold, he’d be insanely impressed.

“If you’re taking me out into the desert at night to murder me there are definitely closer places.” Kyle quips and there’s just enough moonlight that he can see her scowl as she turns around.

“Too soon?” Kyle asks sheepishly as Isobel stops suddenly in front of a cave. He watches as she concentrates as she moves the makeshift wooden door with her newly discovered telekinesis and even he can admit that it’s a turn on.

“C’mon.” Isobel says as she grabs his hand. He immediately feels her warmth as it sinks into his cold hands. He’s about to ask what they’re doing in a cave when he sees them. Their pods.

“Oh Isobel.” Kyle says quietly as he walks up to the purple glowing pod in middle. Even though he’s known about aliens, and about Isobel and her brothers for over a year, he’s never seen the pods. There was always something stopping him from coming out here. Now he knows, he was meant to see them with Isobel.

“I wanted…I wanted to show you.” Isobel whispers as she steps into Kyle’s personal space, the heat from the pods and from Isobel keeping him warm. They’ve been dancing around each other for months now, and he finds that he can’t think of another reason to not do what he wants.

He leans up and kisses her. He pulls away and Isobel makes a protesting noise but smiles against his lips. He smiles back and pulls her flush against him.

“You’re beautiful.” Kyle says as he brings a hand up to her cheek. Even **under the cover of darkness** he can see her blush, the pods bathing them in a subtle low light.

“I think the pods have you confused.”

“They don’t.”

“Kyle.”

“Isobel.” He mimics and she laughs.

“I’m not an easy person to love.” She whispers.

“I think you’re perfectly - ”

“Don’t.” She cuts him off with a glare and now it’s his turn to laugh. Isobel laughs with him and she leans down to kiss him again.

He settles into the kiss, swirling his tongue with hers, turned on and wanting nothing more than to keep kissing her but she pulls back and leans her forehead against his.

“You’re the first person I’ve brought out here.”’

“Really?” Kyle asks, even though he knows that the others have only seen the pods out of necessity.

“Yeah.” Isobel says and kisses him again.

“Why?”

“I know that you know so much about us. You probably know more than we do -”

“Is- ”

She looks him in the eye and Kyle’s breath catches when he registers the look on her face.

“Someone once told me it’s time we tell the truth to the people we love.”


	55. the color green

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt fill for @el-gilliath. N. The color green.

“Why do you only have one green shirt?” Alex looks up at Michael’s question to see Michael folding their laundry. Alex stretches out on their couch and raises an eyebrow at Michael.

“Huh?”

“You only have one shirt in **the color green**. And I’m pretty sure it’s mine.” Michael holds up the worn soft green flannel that Alex loves.

Michael’s right, it is his shirt. Alex stole it years ago when he was home on leave and wanted to take something of Michael’s with him. But Michael doesn’t have any room to talk, since Alex knows Michael has some of his _missing_ Air Force hoodies.

Alex looks at the shirt and then back up to Michael and shrugs.

“You look good in green. You should wear it more.” Michael says as he finishes folding the clothes.

It takes Alex a moment and then he’s smiling. He never thought they’d have this. Living together as a couple, in Jim Valenti’s old cabin. Michael moved in two months ago and Alex will never be over all of the small domestic moments they get to have.

Alex walks over to him and grabs his left hand, now free of scars, but no less free of the memories. Alex leans over to give Michael a kiss, sinking into it for a moment before pulling back.

“I think I’ve worn enough green.”


	56. one missed call

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt fill for @adrianintown - Q. one missed call

Michael walks back to his seat at the bar and before he sits down Maria is shoving his phone in his face.

“What?”

“It was ringing. Like crazy.” Maria says as she hands him his phone. “You know. I didn’t even know you knew how to use that thing.”

“It was ringing? Shit.” Michael unlocks his phone and sure enough he has ten missed calls. Five from numbers he doesn’t know and five from a number he’s intimately familiar with.

“Relax Guerin. It’s just **one missed call.”**

“It’s not just one. I gotta go.” Michael grabs his black cowboy hat. “Can I settle this later?”

“Yeah. Whatever. Come back with money.” Maria waves him away with the towel on her shoulder and he doesn’t have to be told twice.

He’s outside and in his truck before he hits dial, Alex picking up on the first ring.

“Michael.” Alex breathes into the phone and Michael releases a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. He’s okay. If he’s picking up the phone, he’s _okay_.

“Alex.” Michael says as he starts his truck and heads towards his airstream. He’s not sure what happened or why Alex is calling but just hearing Alex’s choked up sob is enough to have him pulling over and trying not to be sick.

“Where are you, sweetheart?”

“In D.C.” Alex whispers. Okay, D.C. is good.

It means he’s in the hospital and injured. It also means that he was well enough to transport from Iraq. That’s good. _He’s okay_.

He keeps up the mantra as he responds to Alex.

“I’ll be there tomorrow.”

“Michael.”

“Tomorrow Alex.”

“I love you.” Alex whispers and Michael knows Alex must be on the good drugs, because Alex never freely says that over the phone.

“I love you, too.”

_He’s okay. He’s okay._


	57. Arturo adopts every stray

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt fill for @angsty-aliens - Arturo Ortecho adopts every stray kitten, broken bird, and discarded kid who stumbles into the Crashdown Cafe.

“Hey Arturo! Sorry, I didn’t know the sweet potatoes would take that long.”

“Mijo! It’s okay!”

“Mikey?” Liz asks and looks between her dad and Michael.

“Oh hey Liz. Didn’t know you’d be here.” Michael says sheepishly as he passes a tray to her dad.

“Yeah. Max and Isobel had a thing with their parents.” She waves her hands around. “What are you doing here?”

“He comes here every Christmas, Mija. Which you’d know if you ever came home.” Arturo says to her as he starts bringing the food to the table.

“What?” Liz asks like she didn’t hear him correctly.

“Uh yeah?” Michael rubs the back of his neck. “I’ve never really had anywhere to go so…”

“Sorry I’m late! Did I miss the carving?!” Alex shouts as he comes into the room. Liz looks around for someone to jump out and say this is all a joke as her dad smiles and hugs Alex.

“Alex! My boy. I didn’t think you were going to make it this year.” Arturo says as he shuffles Alex further into the dining room.

“Yeah I was able to get off base early.” Alex smiles and walks up to Michael. “Merry Christmas, sweetheart.”

Michael kisses him softly. “Merry Christmas, darlin’.”

“Alex? You come here too on Christmas?”

“Oh. Hey Liz. Yeah for dinner.”

“For how long?” Liz asks as Michael starts setting the table.

“Uh…since we graduated? I mean, if I could get leave.” Alex shrugs and starts helping her dad and Michael. She realizes that they know their way around and they all quickly set the table and plate the food.

“Sit.” Arturo pushes her towards the table. He just smiles at her. “Nobody should be alone on Christmas.” 


	58. back on the stage making the whole place rattle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> singer!michael & programmer!alex au

“I don’t want to be here.” Alex grumbles loudly over the noise of the opening act. “I don’t even like country music.”

“You love music though and we have front row tickets.” Maria smiles sweetly at him while Liz laughs.

“Only because you’re sleeping with his head of security.” Alex quips which earns him twin swats on his arms.

“I’m going to tell Cam you said that!” Maria smirks.

“Please don’t.” It’s not that he’s _afraid_ of Cam. He’s a retired Air Force Captain for god’s sake. But he doesn’t want to mess with Cam, ever.

“C’mon babe. Live a little. You’re always holed up behind your computer. Plus, Michael Guerin is the hottest new country singer right now. People would kill for these tickets.” Liz says as she sways to the music.

“I resent that.” Alex gets out, he does. In fact, he went out just last -

“Hello everyone, I’m Michael Guerin.” A whiskey laced voice says. A voice that Alex is now intimately familiar with after last night.

_Alex is sick of looking at his computer so he decided to go out, alone, and have a drink. He’s barely sitting down on his barstool when a man comes over, in all his cowboy swagger and sits down. He takes off his black cowboy hat and the most gorgeous golden curls fall around his face. He turns bright eyes onto Alex and smirks._

_“Hey there, Private.” The stranger says in a slow whiskey laced drawl that has Alex turning into goo._

_“Captain. Retired.” Alex barely gets out. “How did you - ?”_

_The stranger points to Alex’s Air Force shirt and Alex sighs._

_“I’m Michael.” The stranger, Michael, says as he holds out a hand. Alex shakes it and the second their hands touch he knows he’s done for._

_“Alex.”_

_Alex doesn’t know what happens next, but one moment he’s sitting at the bar with the most handsome stranger he’s ever met and the next they’re in a bathroom stall ripping at each other’s clothes._

_It’s not his most eloquent one night stand but it is by far the most memorable. It leaves him dizzy and wanting and when Michael winks at him as he walks out of the bathroom Alex feels like he’s watching his future walk away._

Except, he’s currently staring up at Michael Guerin as he sings in a sultry voice and sways his hips to the music. Alex knows his face is beet red but luckily Liz and Maria either pass it off as it being hot in the arena or they just don’t comment. Either way he’s grateful.

He doesn’t know how he makes it through the entire show and just as they’re about to leave Maria pulls them towards the side of the stage instead of the exit.

“What?” Alex asks as he’s being dragged away.

“Cam got us backstage passes.” Maria says happily as Liz squeals excitedly. Alex freezes, memories playing of stolen kisses from last night, and Maria stops dragging him along.

“Alex c’mon. You’ll like them. It’ll be fine.” Maria keeps walking until he decides to follow. They get to the door where Cam is and she pulls Maria to her and kisses her. Maria smiles as Cam opens the door for them.

Liz is practically vibrating as she takes in the other people and Alex mentally prepares to speak to Michael again.

“Michael.” Cam says to Michael as he turns around. “This is Maria and her friends.”

Alex waits all of two seconds for Michael’s recognition to kick in and then his smirk is firmly in place.

“Private.” Michael drawls as he stalks closer to Alex until they’re almost nose to nose.

Alex can vaguely hear Liz, Cam, and Maria all asking questions but he’s too busy staring into Michael’s golden eyes to answer.

“Michael.” Alex answers breathlessly.

Michael grins like the Cheshire Cat. “Thought you didn’t like country music?”

“Thought you couldn’t dance?” Alex counters as he tries not to blush thinking of Michael swaying his hips obscenely on stage.

“Darlin’. I think you know what my hips can do.”

Alex’s breath catches and right before Michael leans in and brushes their lips together, Maria clears her throat, loudly.

They move apart and stare at the three women, who are all looking at them with varying degrees of shock and amusement. They have a second to breathe before it begins.

“When did you two meet?”

“You know each other?!”

“Why do you know what his hips can do?”

“Alex.”

“Uhh…last night.” Alex answers one of the questions, he thinks.

“You two met last night?” Maria asks incredulously.

“Yes.” Alex squeaks at her stare while Michael laughs. And, oh, that’s a nice sound.

“The sex was epic.” Michael says with a glint in his eyes and Alex’s mouth drops open. Michael turns to him and winks, again.

“Wasn’t it, Private?”

“It was cosmic.”


	59. it's blue, the feeling I've got

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For @adrianintown - Merry Christmas! The man bun is in full force and I apologize for nothing. Alex likes it. Thank you for always being there for me, seriously stuck. with. me. Love you!

Alex tugs on Buffy’s leash to keep her walking next to him when he practically runs into a stranger.

“I’m so sorry.” Alex says immediately as he brushes himself off.

“It’s not a problem.” The stranger says in a surprisingly sexy Australian accent that causes Alex to look up at him.

It’s fleeting, but he takes Alex’s breath away. He’s ruggedly handsome, built like a soccer player. He has blue hair, tied up in a man bun, which usually isn’t Alex’s type, but _damn_. He’s wearing tight black jeans and a denim jacket with buttons all across the front. He’s edgy, in a way Alex isn’t.

Alex notices the stranger checking him out, and Alex is pleased he decided to wear his tightest jeans, soft white sweater, and his leather jacket today.

“I’m Alex.” Alex says in a weird show of bravery, as he holds the hand not holding Buffy’s leash out to shake.

“Forest.” The stranger, Forest, says. The handshake sends a jolt of heat through his hand.

“This is Buffy.” Alex points his head at her and Forest smiles.

“Like the slayer?” Forest lights up when he asks as he leans down to pet her.

“Yeah.” Alex smiles. “You’re not from here.” It’s rhetorical, but Forest answers anyways.

“That obvious?” Forest smirks and Alex smiles.

“You don’t look like a townie yourself?” Forest gestures to Alex and Alex laughs.

“It’s recent.” Alex shrugs a little and then looks up when he realizes where they’re standing. Forest copies him and looks up at the UFO Emporium sign.

“You want a tour?”

Alex jerks to look at him and raises an eyebrow.

“I’m the new museum curator.” Forest shrugs and that’s when Alex notices the tablet he’s carrying.

“I used to work here actually, in high school.”

“No way! Oh, you have to come see all of the improvements. I want to hear all of the funny tourist stories you must have.”

Alex hesitates for only a moment. The UFO Emporium holds a special place in his heart, but recently said heart has been trampled on, so he agrees.

“Alright. So long as I can bring Buffy.” Alex says as he takes Forest’s outstretched hand.

“Of course. The more the merrier. Oh man, what are the chances?” Forest chuckles to himself as he leads Alex inside.

“C’mon. We can go somewhere a little more private.” Alex sucks in a breath at the familiar words but smiles as he squeezes Forest’s hand.

“It’s gonna be epic.”


	60. your friends are a fate that befell me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For @bestillmyslashyheart - Merry Christmas! Thank you for letting me ‘borrow’ Patrick (thank you for creating him!) Seriously - you’re the best. Thank you for letting me live blog TRC to you in all caps! Love you!

Alex has barely crossed the threshold to his porch when both Patrick and Michael yell for him.

“Alex!”

Alex would be worried, he would, except Patrick is retired Air Force and Michael is a telekinetic alien. So they should be fine. _Should be._

What he’s not expecting is for his best friend and his boyfriend to be staring incredulously at him with their hands on their hips and their mouths open. Buffy is sitting at their feet, like the good girl she is, looking at them like they’re crazy.

“What?” Alex asks and then immediately regrets it.

“What?!” They both shout and point at Buffy. _And okay, they spend way too much time together_.

“Oh! You like it?” Alex notices now that they’re scowling at him and Buffy, but Alex likes the new colors of her jersey.

“No. Why is she wearing a Steelers jersey?” Michael asks him slowly.

“It’s black and yellow.” Alex states as he goes over to pet Buffy.

“No. Alex, she’s an Eagles fan. She should only be wearing an Eagles jersey.” Patrick says like he’s speaking to a small child.

“Huh. But they’re both in Pennsylvania.” Alex shrugs and walks over to the basket that holds Buffy’s sweaters.

Michael and Patrick both make disbelieving noises and give him the same look. He’s _never_ inviting Patrick to spend his vacation here again, especially when he’s not on leave himself. _They’re doing this freaky twin thing and they aren’t even twins_.

“So she can’t wear this one that I got her?” Alex holds up a Chiefs Patrick Mahomes jersey and Michael scoffs.

“He eats ketchup.”

“Pretty sure everybody eats ketchup, Guerin.”

“No. I mean he _eats_ ketchup.”

“And he sounds like a chipmunk.” Patrick interjects.

“I like his curly hair.” Alex shrugs and Michael makes a _truly_ offended noise as he starts smoothing out his own curls as Patrick helps him.

“No.” Michael says after a moment and Alex shrugs and picks up another jersey. This one is a Patriots jersey and he doesn’t even turn it around to show them what should be Tom Brady’s name before they’re both shouting.

“No!” Michael grabs it out of his hands. “I’m burning this. I can’t believe you brought this into our _home_.”

“I thought she could wear it on the Fourth of July.”

“Alex.” Patrick practically pleads with him.

“Okay. Okay. So, I assume not this one either?” Alex holds up the last jersey. It’s an Oakland Raiders jersey and both Michael and Patrick look at him like he’s lost his mind.

“No. Only Eagles.” Michael definitely crosses his arms and pouts. Alex can barely keep a straight face.

“So, I take it you don’t want these then?” Alex pulls the four tickets out of his back pocket. “Kyle got four tickets to the Raiders Eagles game this Sunday, but I guess if she can’t - ”

“Yes!” Both Michael and Patrick exclaim as they rush to hug him.

“Yes. Yes. Yes!” Michael shouts as he presses kisses all over Alex’s face. Patrick has the biggest grin and Michael can’t stop smiling either.

“Thank you!” Michael smiles and Alex kisses him again.

“Thank Kyle.” Alex gently reminds him.

“No.” Both Michael and Patrick say as they start talking adamantly about Sunday and where are they sitting and what time their flights are.

Alex lets it wash over him, smiling, as he looks down at Buffy still in her Steelers jersey. Maybe they won’t notice if she wears it the rest of the night.

Afterall, Michael didn’t notice that it wasn’t a players name on the back of it, just like the others, he only noticed the numbers.

That’s okay, he’ll get it eventually. Maybe when Alex shows him the paperwork. Because the jerseys say their new last name.

 _Guerin_.


	61. know my heart still has a suitcase

“Maybe we shouldn’t have tied him to the chair.” Michael looks at Kyle and scowls.

“I think he’s right.” Flint says, voice a little muffled from where he’s struggling in the rope.

“Shut up.” Michael growls and pulls out his phone.

“Who are you calling?” Kyle asks him as he paces back and forth.

“No one.” Michael bites out as the call connects.

_“What?!” The voice on the other end yells out._

_“Alex is missing.” Michael says bluntly._

_“Define missing.”_

_“Cabin is ransacked. Leg is still here.”_

_“I’ll be there in thirty.”_

_“Do I even want -”_

_“No.”_

Michael pockets his phone as he’s hung up on and he turns at the sound of Kyle’s voice.

“Now what?”

“We wait.”

In true Gregory Manes fashion he shows up twenty minutes later like a bat out of hell. Michael isn’t even sure his truck is all the way off before he’s barging in the front door to Alex’s cabin.

“Oh good. Everyone’s here.” Gregory sneers as he takes in Michael and Kyle sitting at Alex’s kitchen table and Flint tied to a chair.

“Greg?” Flint asks incredulously.

“Hello little brother.”

“Wait. How do you two know each other?” Kyle asks as his eyes bug out of his head.

“We go way back.” Michael quips, which earns him a glare from Kyle and a snort from Gregory. Michael sighs.

“Alex called him after the toolshed. We’ve…kept in touch.” Michael shrugs and looks at Kyle, imploring him to drop it. He doesn’t.

“Kept in touch?”

“I called him when Alex got hurt.” Gregory says clipped. “I tried to keep Alex away from Project Shephard too, but no such luck.”

“Wait. You’re in on it too?” Michael rubs his face and groans at Kyle. Isn’t he supposed to be smart?

“He’s CIA.” Flint snaps. “Of course he’s in on it.”

“Look. Can we do this later?” Michael glares at Kyle and Kyle nods. “Alex is missing and I would really like to find him.”

Gregory nods once and leans down so he’s eye level with Flint.

“Tell me where he is and maybe I won’t kill you.”


	62. picket white fence, but we paint it black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based off of @dialouge-prompts:
> 
> “You never loved me.”
> 
> “That’s not true, I–”
> 
> “Don’t. I know what you were doing. And guess what? It worked. You have the information they wanted, and I get to live my life knowing I’m an idiot for trusting you. For loving you.”

Michael hears Alex walk through the front door with Buffy, their beagle, trailing behind and he feels like he might be sick. Without turning around he continues to stare at the laptop in front of him.

“Please tell me this isn’t real.” Michael says in a deadly calm voice as he feels Alex freeze besides him.

“Michael.”

“Tell. Me.” Michael turns to look at Alex, his husband, his best friend, the one person who knows their secret, and sees the truth in his eyes.

“Ten years, Alex. Ten years.”

“I know. It’s not what you - ”

“Not what I think?” Michael scoffs. “What I think is that my husband has been lying to me since we were teenagers. What I think is that there isn’t a reasonable explanation for why you have files on me that say I’m a terrorist. I mean, what is this?!” Michael shoves the laptop towards him and the screen that reads ‘Threat Level: Red’ with his picture on it.

“Michael.”

“Don’t.” Michael says darkly. “I was an easy target right? Homeless kid is really an alien. So did _Daddy_ tell you to befriend me? To marry me?”

“No, please you have to - ”

“Have to what, Alex? Listen to you? I trusted you! I told you everything. My family.” Michael chokes on his anger.

“Isobel and Max have been wiped from the database.” Alex says in his _Captain_ voice.

“Oh good. So just me then.” Michael feels like he can’t breathe. He can feel his powers simmering under his skin, itching to get out. To destroy.

“Michael.” Alex pleads, his soldier facade dropping at the sight of Michael’s panic rising.

“You never loved me.”

“That’s not true, I - ”

“Don’t. I know what you were doing. And guess what? It worked. You have the information they wanted, and I get to live my life knowing I’m an idiot for trusting you. For loving you.”

Michael turns on his heels and walks out the front door of their cabin. Their home.

He gets to his truck and has a moment of clarity, quickly texting Max and Isobel.

_They know everything. I’m sorry. I love you._

Once he hits send he throws his phone as hard as he can with his powers, smiling ruthlessly when he hears the satisfying crack against a tree.

He puts his key in the ignition and without looking back he drives away.


	63. golden eyes watching our every move

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For @adrianintown. Based off of this post:  
> https://aliencowboyswagger.tumblr.com/post/190001013087/tyler-smokes-vlamis-smokes-please-give-me-malex
> 
> tw: smoking

Michael crunches the snow beneath his boots as he leans against Max’s house. He pulls the lighter out of his pocket and flicks the lid open a couple of times before finally lighting the cigarette hanging between his lips.

He’s just pulled in his first drag when he hears footsteps come up next to him. He blows the smoke out and turns his head towards the noise. He leans one foot against the wall and takes another drag of the cigarette before speaking.

“What brings you out here, Private?” 

“Got one of those for me?” Alex nods his head towards the cigarette as Michael flicks the ash off of it. 

Michael fishes the pack out of his pocket again and hands one to Alex, who expertly puts it between his lips as he holds out a hand for the lighter. Instead of handing it over Michael brings the lighter up towards Alex’s face. Through the flame Michael can see Alex a little more clearly and notices the surprise on his face when he brings the cigarette closer to the flame to light it.

“Didn’t know you smoked.” Alex says after taking his own drag. And damn if that isn’t hot.

“Only sometimes. Gives me something to do.”

Alex nods his head against the wall and leans his head back so Michael can see his throat working as he blows out a puff of smoke. Fuck, only Alex could make smoking look this good.

“Didn’t realize you smoked.” Michael says after a moment.

“I’m full of bad habits.”

“Sounds like something I would say.” Michael quips. 

Alex turns to look at him, but leaves his head against the wall. Outside with his leather jacket and soft sweater he looks like every one of Michael’s fantasies come true. All he needs is a drink and he’d complete the picture. 

“I couldn’t stand one more minute of Max’s self righteous lecturing so I came out here.” Alex answers his earlier question and it startles a laugh out of Michael. 

“Oh my god.” Michael wheezes as he bends over to catch his breath and Alex just raises an eyebrow at him. 

“Welcome to my life.” Michael finally says quietly. 

“Mmm.” Alex says into the silence. The only sound is the burning of the cigarettes and the two of them breathing into the night. 

Michael takes one last drag and puts the cigarette out in the snow. He knows he shouldn’t, and he’ll catch hell from Max tomorrow but he doesn’t care. He crowds close to Alex so they’re almost touching chest to chest. 

Alex takes a drag of his cigarette and before he can finish blowing the smoke out of his lungs Michael kisses him, catching it. 

The kiss is messy, a little filthy, and they both taste like cigarettes but he doesn’t care. He can feel one of Alex’s hands tugging on his curls but the other stays down at his side with the cigarette still burning.

Michael pulls back and looks at him. Through the darkness he can’t see Alex’s blush but he knows it’s there. 

And Alex, the smug asshole, just takes one more drag of his cigarette and blows it out to the side of them, lips forming a perfect ‘o’, making Michael swallow. He hands the rest of the cigarette to Michael and pushes off the wall as he heads towards his Jeep. 

“See ya around, Guerin.”


	64. headcanons

1\. sleep headcanon for malex 

Michael and Alex can only ever get a full nights sleep when they’re together. Alex’s Air Force buddies think he’s an insomniac while Isobel and Max think the only way Michael can sleep is with the help of alcohol.

But no, it’s just that they can only let their guard down around each other to truly fall asleep.

 

2\. sad headcanon Malex

Michael _hates_ celebrating. Holidays, anniversary’s, birthdays.

Why would he celebrate a birthday he doesn’t know? Or holidays on a planet he doesn’t belong on?

The one day he does mark in his calendar though, is the day Alex left for basic.

Every year he has a drink for Alex, waits until midnight, when his shitty old phone rings, and just listens to Alex breathe on the other end of the line.

Some years they don’t say anything. Some years Alex can’t shut up. And others, Michael prattles on about some science journal he was reading.

But every call is the same. It’s 14 minutes long. The same amount of time the first phone call was. The time from Alex’s dad dropping Alex at the bus stop to Alex boarding the bus.

They don’t write, text, or email. They don’t speak except those 14 minutes at midnight once a year.

 

3\. Bedroom/house/living quarters headcanon & quirks/hobbies headcanon both for malex 

Michael moves into the cabin & for the first couple of weeks he sleeps on the couch or on the floor. He’s never had a real bed before and he doesn’t know how to get comfortable. It’s memory foam or something that molds around his body and it’s weird. Alex likes it for his stump and he tells Michael they can get a new mattress but Michael refuses. He eventually learns to fall asleep, but only when he’s half on top of Alex like an octopus.

Michael likes to draw and he’s kind of good at it. It surprises Alex, until he remembers all of the hand written letters with drawings on them he received when he was over sees. He finds the drawings all around their house, taped to doors and windows, but his favorite is one of Buffy, their beagle, on a space ship.

Alex likes to knit. He picked it up while he was rehabbing his leg. He can’t knit much but he did knit Michael a beanie once, and Michael cried, because it was the first gift he had ever gotten.

 

4\. likes/dislikes headcanon

Michael ~~likes~~ loves having his curls played with. But only by Alex. Anyone else tries to touch his hair and he freaks out. He even started keeping a spray bottle in his trailer for when Isobel is over and tries to touch his hair.

Alex likes playing cards. It’s something he picked up oversees and he finds shuffling the cards soothing. But he can never play with Michael. And not because a game of strip poker once got out of hand. Nope, it’s because Michael is a _child_ and every time Alex tries to shuffle them Michael uses his telekinesis to fling the cards in the air, and proceeds to do magic tricks with them. Alex does _not_ like magicians. They creep him out, so they don’t play cards anymore.

 

5\. angry/violent headcanon for Michael

Michael doesn’t like fighting. He’s seen to much of it growing up in foster homes, in group homes, even in tool sheds. But these bar fights, these people that piss him off, with their slurs and bigotry. Well, they deserve to get knocked down a peg or two, or worse.

Afterall, what’s another night in the drunk tank?

He’ll get to see Max, and it’s the only time his _brother_ will speak to him.

He misses Max. So he’ll take the lecture and a headache if it means he gets to see him, and speak to him again.

He swings and he doesn’t care when he misses and gets a punch in return. Max is usually nicer to him if he’s sporting a black eye.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Come find me on Tumblr - same username!


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